Alex Hana joins us today and we’ll talk about Uber’s huge funding round and why they want to expand into the rest of the world.

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Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes

Allison Sheridan braves a burning router to appear on the show and talk about the new Google CAPTCHA system. Is it creepy? Is it accessible?

MP3

Multiple versions (ogg, video etc.) from Archive.org.

Please SUBSCRIBE HERE.

A special thanks to all our Patreon supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting the show here at the low, low cost of a nickel a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes

Today’s guest: Allison Sheridan of the NosillaCast podcast

Headlines

ReCode says two sources close to the investigation say Sony Pictures Entertainment will name North Korea as the source of the attack on its internal networks. An announcement from Sony Pictures and security firm Mandiant is forthcoming.

GigaOm reports that Google is rolling out a new reCAPTCHA system. Instead of distorted words and numbers users will simply click a check box next to the words “I’m not a robot.” Google’s “Advanced Risk Analysis” will look at IP addresses, cookies, mouse movements and more in an algorithm to determine whether a user is human or bot. Mobile users will be presented with a puzzle for instance matching a picture of a kitten with other pictures of kittens in a grid of multiple pictures.

Wired UK reports that the YotaPhone 2 is going on sale. The dual screen smartphone from Russian company Yota Devices has both a-front facing AMOLED 1080p screen and an e-ink panel on the back. The Yotaphone 2 has a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon processor, an 8-megapixel camera on the back, and a 2-megapixel camera on the front. The phone will cost £555 in the UK and 700 Euros in the EU. You can buy one online or in the YotaPhone store in London. The phone goes on sale in Asian markets early next year and will be available in the Americas–eventually.

CNET reports that according to market research Parks Associates, in the first three quarters of 2014, 10 percent of US households with a broadband connection bought at least one streaming-media player. Roku kept the top spot with 29 percent of sales in the first nine months. Google’s Chromecast however moves into second place with 20 percent of sales, sending Apple TV to third with 17 percent. In fourth? Amazon’s Fire TV box and stick.

Ars Technica reports on the announcement of the newly announced Bluetooth 4.2 spec. Among the improvements are the ability to connect directly to the Internet over IPv6 and 6LoWPAN, controls over whether beacons are allowed to track your device, speeds improved up to 2.5 times. Some older Bluetooth 4 devices can take advantage of the privacy features with a firmware update the speed and packet improvements will require a hardware update.

GigaOm passes along that Mozilla’s release manager tweeted the company is going to get Firefox on iOS. Apple added the WKWebView API in iOS 8 which gives third-party browsers access to the full power of the JavaScript Nitro engine which previously was only accessible to the Safari browser.

News From You

starfuryzeta submitted the Ars Technica article that security firm Cylance published a report Tuesday describing “Operation Cleaver.” The sustained cyberattack campaign has attained the highest level of system access at targets in 16 countries. Compromised systems include employee login servers, VPNs, routers and switches. Among the 50 target organizations are airports, hospitals, telecommunications providers, chemical companies, and governments. The team of attackers use Persian handles, work from IP addresses registered in Iran. Cylance believes the group could only be backed by a nation-state.

MacBytes passes along a terrific feature from The Verge about the all-girl robotics team at Carl Hayden Community High School in West Phoenix, Arizona. Carl Hayden is a school where 70% of students lived below the poverty line, and less than 40% of students graduate. So two teachers at the school founded a robotics club. And the club went on to beat MIT in a robotics competition and get a movie made about them. But the teachers noticed that the girls on the team rarely worked on the robots. They wrote the papers and gave the presentations. So in 2007, they formed a girls-only team. And guess what. GIRLS BUILD AWESOME ROBOTS TOO. And then they go to Stanford. Because ROBOTS. And more importantly, BECAUSE TEACHERS. Go read the article. It’ll make you happy.

CaliforniaKarl alerted us to a YouTube post explaining why they had to re-code their view counting software thanks to pop star Psy. Turns out people are still watching Gangnam Style and when the 2 billion 147 million 483 thousand 647th viewer hit it maxed out the 32-bit integer they had reserved to count views. So they had to upgrade to a 64-bit integer. YouTube now can rest easy until Gangnam Style gets past the 9 quintillionth view.

Discussion Links: Captcha!

https://gigaom.com/2014/12/03/google-kills-captchas-with-new-ai-system/

http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2014/12/are-you-robot-introducing-no-captcha.html

http://googleonlinesecurity.blogspot.com/2013/10/recaptcha-just-got-easier-but-only-if.html

https://gigaom.com/2013/10/28/time-to-abandon-the-captcha-ai-software-solves-them-with-90-percent-accuracy/

http://www.wired.com/2014/12/google-one-click-recaptcha/

Pick of the Day:  Mighty Text via Scott

My pick of the day is the Android App MightyText.

The app is similar to iMessage in that it allows Android users to send text messages from their tablet and computer (through a chrome extension) keeping me from switching to my phone whenever I am using my other devices.

The app also has neat features like: telling you your phone’s battery life, contacts, scheduling future messages, and you can dial from one of the other apps.

Link from messages

http://www.sunycobleskill-pilot.net/

Thursday’s guest: Simon Dingle of South African broadcasting

Patrick Beja and Justin Robert Young are on to talk about Stephen Hawking’s new toy, whether phones are too expensive in India and a US Supreme Court case that could gag the Internet.

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Please SUBSCRIBE HERE.

A special thanks to all our Patreon supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting the show here at the low, low cost of a nickel a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes

Today’s guest: Patrick Beja and Justin Robert Young 

Headlines

PC Magazine reports the FBI emailed a five-page confidential notice warning US businesses to watch out for malware similar to the kind that infected Sony Pictures Entertainment’s internal system. The notice shared some details on what happened at Sony including overwriting of data that may be difficult or impossible to recover. The BBC asked the North Korean government if it was involved in the attack. A spokesman for the North Korean government replied: “”The hostile forces are relating everything to the DPRK (North Korea). I kindly advise you to just wait and see.” Meanwhile Reuters reports a U.S. national security official says North Korea is among the multiple suspects being investigated.

The Verge reports Twitter announced changes to its process for reporting abuse. Fewer steps will now be required to report such behaviour, and those who are not involved have an easier way to flag abuse when they see it. Also, blocked users will no longer be able to view the profiles of people who have blocked them. Users will also have a page where they can view and edit accounts they have blocked.

Recode reports that Sprint has a new promotion coming Friday in the US. Customers who bring a current AT&T or Verizon bill into a Sprint store can set up a new Sprint plan that is half the cost of their current charges for calls, texting and data. The customer has to buy an unsubsidized phone though. Sprint will also pay up to $350 in early termination fees or remaining device payments, if customers turn in their existing devices. The offer does not extend to T-Mobile customers. Or current Sprint customers.

The Verge reports Snapchat now allows all its users to create pictures with geofilters. Snapchat added the feature earlier this year allowing users to view images attached to a location but until now only developers could create the images. Users interested in submitting images must follow template instruction at snapchat.com/geofilters, choose the location, then upload. Snapchat employees must approve the art before it’s shared with friends.

The Sinclair ZX Spectrum is making a comeback. The Verge reports the popular 1980s computer from the UK is being recreated through an Indiegogo project endorsed by Sir Clive Sinclair himself. The new Sinclair Spectrum Vega comes in the shape of a rectangular gamepad with 1,000 preloaded games. You can also use an SD card to load in more games. Backers must pay £100 for delivery expected to begin in February.

Reuters reports that Cyber Monday sales got off to a slow start, apparently because web promotions got off to an EARLY start. According to data from IBM Digital Analytical Benchmark, US online sales grew only 8 percent on Cyber Monday. Sales were projected to rise between 13-15 percent. The reason? Promotions began during the Thanksgiving weekend or even earlier possibly taking business away from Monday. So basically, people are shopping all the time, not just on one day. IBM also said Cyber Monday sales continued to be driven by mobile traffic which grew 38.3 percent this year, even as the average order value remained flat at $131.66.

TechCrunch reports US FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai sent a letter to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings today alleging the company is working to effectively secure Internet fast lanes. Pai notes Netflix, like Google did not join a consortium to create streaming video standards then accuses Netflix of changing its protocols to impede open caching software from correctly identifying Netflix traffic. Pai seems to be referring to Netflix’s Open Connect program where edge caching machines are placed inside ISPs like Cablevision to improve performance of Netflix video.

The Next Web reports Steam unveiled a new beta feature today called ‘Broadcasting.’ The feature allows a user to stream gameplay to friends, similar to Twitch, but directly from the Steam client. Steam broadcasting is only available for PC at launch but game streams can be viewed in Chrome and Safari.

News From You:

KAPT_Kipper sent us the devastating news that Microsoft has closed down the clip art and image library on office.com. Tech Crunch reports that users in need of imagery will now be pointed towards Bing Image search with a Creative Commons filter turned on. So, goodnight cow. Goodnight moon. Good night lady, with cake and balloons.

In related news, D’Angelo Barksdale was last seen yelling, “Where’s Word ART? String, look at me! Where’s WORD ART?”

TNTFan sent us theThe Next Web report that famed physicist Stephen Hawking has a new communications system that uses technology from SwiftKey to make it easier for him to write and talk. The updated system, which is built by Intel, lets him accurately choose entire words rather than individual characters. Professor Hawking’s typing speed is twice as fast with the new system. Wired Magazine has details of the development of the system, called called ACAT (Assistive Context Aware Toolkit) which is available as open source software in January.

ktoll2 passed along the Verge story about the journal Nature making research studies it publishes free to read online. Well sort of. The studies are free to read using a proprietary software platform accessible only if you have a direct link provided by a subscriber, and kept in a format that prohibits copying, printing, or downloading. So not really free as in beer or speech, more like free if you can get to it. Still that’s 140 years of peer-reviewed research that technically anyone can access.

Discussion Links: Objective v. Subjective

http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-supreme-court-facebook-threats-free-speech-20141201-story.html

http://www.theverge.com/2014/11/26/7292755/supreme-court-tackle-online-threats-elonis

http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/elonis-v-united-states/

http://www.scotusblog.com/2014/12/argument-analysis-taking-ownership-of-an-internet-rant/

 

Pick of the Day: Junecloud via Jamie Brand

I wanted to tell you about an app I just discovered today called Deliveries by Junecloud. It’s a package tracking solution that has apps for iOS and OSX and makes tracking your shipped packages painless. It breaks down the ETA for each package, and even sends notifications if there is a change to your scheduled delivery date. The app for iOS costs $4.99 but with that you are able to use almost all of the main shipping outlets like UPS, USPS, Canada Post etc, and it even lets you forward confirmation emails to automatically add tracking information to the app. They just added a Widget to the Today screen as well so you don’t even have to open the app. I will be using this alot in the coming weeks for my many amazon purchases and hopefully fellow DTNS listeners can do the same.
Jamie in beautiful BC

Plug of the Day: 

Wednesday’s guest: Allison Sheridan of the Nosillacast podcast

Rafe Needleman joins the show to talk about whether Cyber Monday is just a myth created by marketers.

MP3

Multiple versions (ogg, video etc.) from Archive.org.

Please SUBSCRIBE HERE.

A special thanks to all our Patreon supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting the show here at the low, low cost of a nickel a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes

Today’s guest: Rafe Needleman, Editorial Director, Yahoo Tech

Headlines

Gigaom reports Microsoft is in fact acquiring email startup Acompli. Javier Soltero formerly of VMWAre wrote the company will continue to develop mobile email apps for multiple platforms and services. While the consumer face will not change nothing was said about whether Acompli would move off of Amazon Web Services to Microsoft Azure on the back end. I’m betting that might happen.

Ars Technica passes along a Wall Street Journal report that a new version of Google Glass will arrive in 2015 with an Intel processor inside. This will replace the TI chip which was no longer made or supported causing many issues with keeping the Android OS updated. It also furthers Intel’s push into mobile and wearable devices. WSJ reports Google still views Glass as a consumer device.

Reuters reports Sony Pictures Entertainment has hired FireEye’s Mandiant forensics unit to help deal with the attack that shut down their internal systems last week. Email is expected to return for Sony today. ReCode reported Friday that investigators were looking into whether attackers were hired by North Korea, possibly in retaliation for the upcoming Sony Movie “The Interview” a comedy about an attempt to assassinate North Korea’s Supreme Leader. North Korea has called the movie With Seth Rogan and James Franco, an act of war.

For the first time ever, Google has overtaken Apple in sales to US schools. 9 to 5 Google comments on an IDC report which estimates Google shipped 715,500 Chromebooks to US schools and colleges in Q3 2014, while Apple shipped 702,000 iPads in Q3. IDC says the lower cost of Chromebooks is a huge factor, as well as the full keyboard. The Financial Times points out that Chromebooks have gone from zero to 25 percent of the educational market in two years. Apple iTunes store still has more educational apps, 75,000 at last count.

A 2005 lawsuit against Apple alleging antitrust for failing to support non-Apple DRM’ed music on iPods finally goes to trial this week. Apple argues their software upgardes were not meant to break DRM, but merely to improve the user experience. The trial will feature a deposition of Steve Jobs recorded before he died. Apple no longer carried DRM on its own songs, never prevented un-DRMd songs from iPods and no longer makes classic iPods.

We reported on rumors that sounded pretty certain that Samsung Co-CEO JK Shin was going to be demoted. Well good news JK Shin, GigaOm and the WSJ report JK Shin will remain in charge of mobile as Co-CEO with the two other CEOs. There were some position changes in the mobile division, including the removal of DJ Lee as head of sales and marketing for Mobile.

The Next Web reports that Intel has acquired Canadian identity management service PasswordBox for an undisclosed amount. The product lets users log into websites and apps without having to enter or remember passwords. The product will now be part of Intel’s security group.

News From You:

starfuryzeta sent us The Verge article about a curious coincidence in relation to the Sony hack last week. Watermarked DVD quality copies of Sony Pictures films Fury, Annie, Mr. Turner and Still Alice appeared on torrent websites shortly after the attack. A Sony rep would not confirm that the videos came from the leak but said Sony is working closely with law enforcment to address it. Screeners have been showing up in torrents for a long time but it is curious to see five Sony movies only one of which is even in theaters yet, show up so close to the attack.

KAPT_Kipper sent us the Torrent Freak report that Kim Dotcom has defeated efforts by the US government to send him back to a New Zealand jail. An Auckland district judge ruled that bail should not be revoked because there was no evidence Dotcom had secret assets or posed a flight risk while he fights extradition to the United States. The judge did ban Dotcom from traveling by helicopter or by sea (hopefully in a boat) unless that transport is via public service, and said he must visit a police station twice a week while on bail (up from once a week).

spsheridan submitted the Ars Technica article that the Department of Justice as turned to a federal law called the All Writs Act to order Apple to assist law enforcement in recovering data from phones. Judges in a federal court in Oakland, California and District court in San Jose, California both ordered Apple provide reasonable technical assistance to obtain unencrypted data but stated specifically that Apple was not required to decrypt. Jonathan Mayer, a lecturer at Stanford Law pointed out to Ars that the All Writs Act is often used to compel assistance with unlocking a phone and some language of the order is provided by Apple itself.

Discussion Links: Cyber Monday, la la, la la la la.

https://www.yahoo.com/tech

http://www.cnet.com/news/did-thanksgiving-and-black-friday-online-sales-soar-or-sink/

http://techcrunch.com/2014/12/01/u-s-thanksgiving-black-friday-sales-break-1b-total-holiday-spend-online-will-be-89b/?ncid=rss

http://www.wired.com/2014/12/amazon-reveals-robots-heart-epic-cyber-monday-operation/

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/01/business/thanksgiving-weekend-sales-at-stores-and-online-slide-11-percent.html?_r=0

http://www.geekwire.com/2014/online-spending-exceeds-1-billion-thanksgiving-black-friday-record-traffic-coming-mobile/

http://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2014/12/01/why-today-is-a-terrible-day-for-online-merchants/

Pick of the Day:  LazyGameReviews via Randy Strye

Hi Tom! One of your many, many bosses here  I’d like to suggest a YouTube channel as a daily pick. I’ve been watching (and supporting on Patreon) LazyGameReviews for quite some time now. He’s not just another YouTube video game reviewer. Along with reviewing classic, obscure PC games, he has many videos discussing collecting of classic PC games, videos about strange, classic PC peripherals (or as he calls them “Oddware”), and most recently (and what made me think of you!) a show about tech history, the first being about the Osborne and the most recent being about Digital Research. Keep up the great work. Thanks for making my daily commute more bearable!

Plug of the Day: “What’s a Poor Normal To Do?” at the DTNS store

The DTNS store has a new item! One the one Friday day that Len Peralta couldn’t join us, Producer Jennie filled in and drew “What’s a Poor Normal to Do?” Darren Kitchen asked her to put it in the store, so now it is there. You can also buy other cool DTNS things in the store.

Tuesday’s guests: Patrick Beja and Justin Robert Young will join us!