Bobby's Beautiful Blog

Just For Some Music?

clamagra — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 02:25:50 +0000

When illegal downloading first hit the music industry record executives immediately hired law enforcement to help track down the root of the problem, doing what ever it took to have it caught, and ultimately attempting to kill the root. While stories of people being arrested for illegal downloads surfaced all over the news, the scare tactic posed no match to the best word in the world. FREE. As the internet was bombarded with free material, all thoughts of the Copyright laws were thrown out the window. A U.S district judge was quoted saying, “There is something wrong with a law that routinely threatens teenagers and students with astronomical penalties for an activity whose implications they may not have fully understood”. This is where Boston University’s Joel Tenenbaum comes in to play. Fed traced back the origins of a free music downloading site back to Tenenbaum. The site contained 30 songs available for download, songs which Tenenbaum downloaded himself. Record companies came at his head, demanding they received $675,000 in damages, judge Nancy Gertner sided with the record labels. Tenenbaum and his lawyer fired back pointing out multiple flaws in the Copyright laws that we live by, and although Gertner agreed with Tenenbaum, she still found him at fault. In what ways can the Copyright laws be changed to make them more relevent? And how the hell is Tenenbaum gonna pay all that money since he’s only a grad student? Guess student loans won’t be the only thing he is paying off.

A Government’s Gift

clamagra — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:56:29 +0000

The cell phone craving has made its way from the streets into our government, in barely anytime at all. Working with Virgin Mobile, the government has set up Assurance Wireless: a government funded program that supplies disabled and poverty stricken US citizens with free cellphones/minutes. These phones can have up to 200 minutes free per month, a large jump from the original plan which only allowed for 60 minutes of air time. They are aimed at citizens participating in government “welfare” programs, including Medicaid, Food Stamps, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. LifeLine, which was established in 1997 to help this same group of people afford landlines, has now shifted its focus towards the wireless field. Assurance Wireless is funded by the Universal Service Fund (USF). But how is this company funded? USF is just another player in the subsidized game, which allows them to access money to fund a program such as this one. Next time you receive a cellphone bill take a closer look. With every bill comes a surcharge directly supplying the USF. While this technology is useful for the lower class, it is just another dent in Americans pockets trying to trudge through this economic crisis. It is unfair, unconstitutional, and just down right bullshit. Welfare wasn’t put into this country for “me” to pay your cellphone bill, it was so you wouldn’t die of starvation. I’m sorry but this has aggravated a nerve that is hard to reach. Free cellphones? Give me a break. If you don’t have a quarter to make a collect call with then obviously you are not working hard enough to make a living. In my opinion, this is just another bailout for deadbeats; they have gotten so comfortable with the “save me” idea that it is single handily destroying our country . Absolute hypocrisy. If this is the case, every American should be granted 200 free minutes to their cell phone plan. I’m sick and tired of everything working one way, sorry for the outburst this just really pissed me off.

Russia’s Latest Military Failure

clamagra — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:55:10 +0000

The chess game being played by Russia’s nuclear warfare program has been placed into check. Its newest addition to the arsenal, the Bolava nuclear capable missile, enabled to hold 10 individually targeted nuclear missiles, misfired once again. This missile, shot from a submarine, has been the focal point in military developments; Russias entire fleet of new and improved submarines have been equipped with machinery specifically made for this missile. The subs will be relatively pointless without a working Bolava. Russia’s recent success in constructing a surface to surface missile shot a jolt of energy into the reconstructed division. While that put a half smile on Russian faces (usually a hard task to do), nothing has been achieved until the kinks in the Bolava are worked out. After correcting the problems in stages one and two (a three staged process) it seemed as if this one could possibly be the history maker. Wrong. In the blink of an eye, stage three began to malfunction. Problems pointed to an engine failure. But this time, something strange appeared in the sky simultaneously as the rocket began shut down over Norway. Nobody has been able to accurately identify what this light was (possibly the missile failure or northern lights) but some have even guessed it was a UFO. As crazy as that sounds, its not all that out of the question. During my UFO phase earlier in the year, I encountered many documented events by the US military suggesting UFO interference when we first started to test our nuclear program. The claims by the Russians have a chilling similarity to the claims made by our military. A similar white light. Both failed in the third stage of the test. Both have no data/reason behind why the missile failed. It is just a mystery that remains in the sky. Something fishy is going on up there, and I think someone is trying to tell us something.

FCC: A Tough Cookie To Crack

clamagra — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 00:18:49 +0000

Who doesn’t complain about their wireless service? My phones internet is to slow. Why am I being billed for such outrageous things? I wish I could switch cellphone services, but I just can’t afford all of the fees that come along with it. These are just a few of the constant grumbles that apply to cell phone companies. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has taken matters into there own hands though, trying to ignite a change in the way the FCC handles consumer complaints. The GAO’s report points out many flaws in the FCC’s approach to conquering these problems. According to the article by Yahoo, “while the FCC forwards customer complaints to carriers for response, it “has conducted little other oversight of services provided by wireless phone service carriers because the agency has focused on promoting competition.” Is having poor customer service a part of stirring up friendly competition? As the cell-phone business has become a giant oligopoly, it seems as if the FCC is the middle man in this never ending battle. Some of the key findings in the GAO reports had to do with the consumers inability to contact the FCC, and file a complain that was actually processed, and organized. Also, the FCC has not yet enforced billing rules to companies, allowing them to charge what ever rates they feel is necessary. Hidden fees are especially a problem. The FCC is supposed to be there to protect consumer’s and consumer rights. It seems though, that they too are becoming hypnotized by large corporation reasoning’s.

E-Ink: Epic Fail

clamagra — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 23:49:00 +0000

As technology has taken over every aspect of modern day life, it only seemed right that the oldest kind of media is one of the last to make the transition. Print media has kept traditions, history, and knowledge flowing for thousands of years. Barns & Noble, as well as Amazon have invented devices that allow people read in an entirely new fashion. Barns & Noble’s Nook, and Amazons Kindle are hand held, digital, information centers, known as Ebook’s, allow readers to purchase books off their websites (both offer Wi-Fi capabilities). On top of being able to purchase books directly to this transformed palm-pil0t, you are able to store and read the books off of the device. Capable of holding up to 1,500 books, the newly released Nook has taken the cake from Amazons Kindle. While these $259 gadgets could be useful, they present formidable foes that are still being worked out by the companies. The use of E-Ink is one of its biggest rivals. While E-Ink is an energy friendly aspect (also give reader original book feel), it doesn’t react as fast as technology today. Another downside is that it doesn’t have a back light if you want to read in the dark. Its multi-screen system causes your eyes to wander from its original intention as well. Both companies are still working on solutions to consumer suggestions, and only the future can tell how E-Books, and E-Ink could possibly change the way people read forever.

Tiger’s Internet Influence

clamagra — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:50:50 +0000

Tiger Woods will for ever be remembered as one of the greatest golfers to ever play the game. He will also be known as the golfer who had sexual relations with 8 women and crashed his car Thanksgiving night. These two factors combined has drawn one of the biggest internet search’s recorded in history. Americas interest in the scandal has flourished over the last month, drawing a large boost in online advertisements. Yahoo and Google, who combine for 80 percent of online search engine use have benefited tremendously off this latest news bubble. Carol Bartz, CEO of Yahoo recently joked that Tiger could be the “absolute” reason the company makes its numbers this quarter (she then said it was a joke). Nevertheless, this could ultimately be the case. Unlike the internet surge seen by Americans revealing facts about Michael Jackson’s death, Tiger Woods has been able to continuously stay in the headlines for two weeks straight. “Yahoo says searches for Woods’ name are up more than 3,900 percent over the last 30 days. Neither Google nor Yahoo would provide specifics about how many more people were searching.”

Youtube Plays the Right Notes

clamagra — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:50:38 +0000

Youtube has grown from a video streaming website to one of the largest music file holders that you can find. Any song that you are in the mood to hear, Youtube can provide the antidote to fill your craving. Music companies have had a problem with these free videos that flood the Internet with concerns about not receiving revenue in return for the plays. Warner Co. was the last of the four major record companies to work out a deal with Youtube, giving them a majority share in the advertising revenues that the website receives. According to Chris Maxcy, the head of music partnerships, conflicts with Warner and the other music companies have been resolved. I was always curious why some music videos/songs I tried to listen to were unable to be played at that time, I guess they were all signed to Warner.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090929/ap_on_hi_te/us_warner_music_group_youtube

Internet Restrictions?

clamagra — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 19:54:09 +0000

Internet providers could see their first run in with the law in the upcoming months. This unrestricted area that allows opinions, information, and even illegal copyrighted content could face its first face-lift if Chairman Julius Genachowski can move enough minds in the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). One big focus was the material that cell phones were allowed to obtain with their Internet browsers. Republicans and committee members are both hesitant on passing laws in fear of an investment down turn. President Obama feels differently about the subject, with a hopeful rebuttal. Obama feels that the regulated Internet, under a careful, well-crafted plan, would provide an even safer place for money to be invested. According to the Yahoo, a big cause for concern is “safeguarding what has been an underlying “Net neutrality” assumption of the Internet: that all types of data are treated equally. If the carriers can degrade or block traffic, they become the gatekeepers of the Internet, able to shut out innovative services, these critics say”. File sharing technology has also grown tremendously, with many companies trying to limit some of the open Internet capabilities. The FCC has fired back at these companies who argue that they can control their Internet however they would like. Yahoo has quoted Genachowski recently though saying, “Genachowski is now proposing to make it a formal rule that Internet carriers cannot discriminate against certain types of traffic by degrading service”. Taking the ability of blocking-traffic away from Internet providers has the ability to take a turn towards user freedom, or a highly restricted area that is limited in its resources.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090921/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_internet_rules

White Space Is The New Color Of Money

clamagra — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 19:01:29 +0000

Think back, put yourself in your parents shoes at this age and imagine if someone came up to them and argued the case that in 35 years people would have miniature computers in their pocket that could instantly obtain music from there favorite artist, news about the country, and check the score of their favorite teams. What would their reaction be? Well, the world of technology has been trying to take its next step into the digital world, but it doesn’t come very cheap. The “white space” is a wireless spectrum that is unused by cell phone service providers, sitting between analog TV channels. This new method of obtaining cell service is the topic of debate for the large conglomerates that are attempting to seize space on the unlicensed spectrum, with Verizon attempting to occupy much of the open space (but innovators such as Larry Page are hunting them down quickly). This unused white space has created a tug-of-war while companies express the pros and cons of occupying the space. Granted, cell phones are exceeding expectations of the original blueprints, but while service runs through this white space, cell phones will see a rapid decrease in the speed of the service providers internet. Cell phone technology, today, runs off of a Wi-Fi server that only allows connection in various “hotspots”. The research into the white space has created a new router (invented by Microsoft) called a White-Fi, that will allow cell phones to gain Internet access at any point in time. The problem with integrating cell service into the spectrum is the interference of frequencies that TV stations and wireless microphones may come across while battling it out for space.

While big cell phone companies are slowing becoming the dominant force of the airwaves, the FCC and other limitation groups are drawing up plans to keep the spectrum available to multiple companies, as well as providing necessary precautions to keep TV broadcast companies happy. According to the C-Net news website, “Microsoft’s White-Fi protocol is designed so that each device measures the spectrum conditions around it, finds available frequencies, and is able keep searching for interference; if interference is detected, it will only have to move a sliver in the spectrum to avoid confusion”. The technology around us is forever changing, with innovations for these gadgets become more and more common. But the cell phone companies have failed to ask what the consumer prefers, and if we are willing to give up wireless speed just for them to save a quick buck in the long run. Would you be willing to slow your Internet (which is only available in some places) for a full time access regardless of your location? As cell phone companies jostle for position to be the leading provider, it seems as if they will stop at nothing to offer a product one step up from the competitor, not even if it drives some TV broadcasters/companies out of business.

Facts from the websites:

The way it works is that the device connects to the available “white space” frequency. But it will also maintain a backup radio frequency channel, so that if another device that uses the same frequency comes into range, it could switch to the backup frequency.

Pros

- the unlicensed spectrum could be used to extend Wi-Fi networks in urban areas for low-cost broadband access or provide broadband services to rural communities where traditional wireless providers have been reluctant to offer services because it’s too sparsely populated

- Servicing underserved populations, such as low-income urban families and people who live in rural communities has become a focus of the Obama administration (but the companies would receive the $7.2 billion set aside in the federal stimulus paln)

Cons

- White space spectrum differs depending on where you are, and it’s not likely that a service provider would be able to patch together a nationwide service.

- White-spectrum is unlicensed meaning it can not provide the guarantee that it will obtain service across the nation.

- The big wireless operators have already begun to mix their cellular wireless services with licened and unliscened spectrums (i.e T-Mobile) slowing taking away from the cell phones ability

- Most Wi-Fi devices operate at 2.4 GHz, whereas, white space spectrum between analog TV channels 21 and 51 operate in the 512 megahertz and 698 megahertz range.

Alternative Options

- White-Fi technology or similar technology used to access white space spectrum could be used to augment existing wireless services that use a licensed spectrum.

- Sprint-Nextel (the 3rd largest service provider and against the use of White-Fi) are selling Mi-Fi routers, which allow its wireless broadband subscribers to attach a device to convert the cellular broadband signal into a Wi-Fi signal

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9853054-7.html?tag=mncol;txt

http://news.cnet.com/8301-30686_3-10313710-266.html?tag=mncol;mlt_related

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9950954-7.html

Privacy Bill On Who See’s Us

clamagra — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:56:18 +0000

When I say they are seeing us I don’t mean it literally, but rather a close observation of our internet habits. The ever changing technology that has become available to advertisement researching firms have created a tidal wave of products on our computer screens. Something that might be unnoticed by the average web user is the un-told fact that every website, and links that you click on is carefully recorded into a database; these companies processes the information and spit it back out into the websites hand telling them who to let boast their product on the website. While some companies view this as product placement (or as the article described it behavioral advertising), I view it as infringement. According to Yahoo! News “Virginia Rep. Rick Boucher, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet, hopes to put in a bill governing Internet advertising placing broad new rules on Websites and advertisers”. So rather then having no opinion on who see’s your Internet viewing routines, web users will be able to click an “opt-out” button that does not allow the website to receive/track any information from our browsing. Included in this is a stricter watch on the personal information that we provide over the internet, especially well guarded areas when purchase items via Internet. The Internets secret ability to profile its users comes after one of the largest social booms ever. Through these networking sites (Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, and others) companies are able to see what is the popular topic of the day, week, and month. With this information they can attract big companies to advertise their product, with a guarantee that this is on the consumers mind. It is about time our government stepped up to the plate and started to control what and who is seeing our every move. I hope that this bill makes its way rapidly to the top of Congresses list, and the control is shifted back into the users hands.

http://tech.yahoo.com/news/ap/20090907/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_internet_privacy