The 404 678: Where we bite into a Koala Bear (podcast)
As of Wednesday of this week, the most downloaded novel on the Amazon Kindle Webstore was "Compromising Positions" by Jenna Bayley Burke. As you might not have guessed from the subtle wit in its name, "Compromising Positions" is an adult-rated novel that represents the latest trend in Kindlerotica, or e-porn.Whereas classic romance novels are traditionally targeted at women, this latest genre is definitely written for men and most of the titles read like text out of Penhouse Forum letters. It's disturbing to think that people are actually reading these stories in public, but the problem may be that Amazon is distributing these stories for free, which explains why they keep popping up on the best-seller list.None of us really get the appeal, and Jeff puts it best when he describes his visual affinity toward the subject matter. In either case, if you want to check it out, another novel called "Office Slave" seems to be a good place to start....but do everyone a favor and stay out of the subway when you read it, OK?Speaking of dirty birdies, the 2600 just published the Google Blacklist--Words that Google Instant Doesn't Like, and there are a ton of submissions. Google Instant is a new search feature that shows results in real time as you type. It also relies on predictive results that could potentially save you two to five seconds per search, but that opens up the floodgates on certain words that Google deems universally offensive.So alongside the standard four-letter cusswords and NSFW terms, there's also a heap of ambiguously dirty words like "golden," "lemon," "teen," and an entire section dedicated to variations on the word "dog." Use your imagination, or just check out the entire list, at your own discretion--this is your official NSFW warning!Oh, Google also unveiled its own URL shortener called Goo.gl. FYI, we spend less time talking about that than it took for you to read the previous sentence.Have a great weekend everyone!Episode 678PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang
No more rewind on many SiriusXM channels
No more rewind on many SiriusXM channels
It's official -- the best feature of SiriusXM's iPhone (and now Android app) has been removed from many of its most popular stations. Version 2.0.2 of the iPhone app confirmed what many subscribers suspected: licensing contracts got in the way of convenience and technology.The satellite radio company updated its iPhone app on April 16 to version 2.0.1. Many listeners who updated reported network errors preventing them from using the app, and others lucky enough to connect to SiriusXM bemoaned the loss of an exit button and were left wondering why 5-hour rewind was gone from their favorite stations. However, because the app was full of glitches and its iTunes description remained unchanged -- promising 5-hour rewind on all stations -- it wasn't clear if the feature loss was permanent or just a glitch. Version 2.0.2, released last week, seemed neither to fix the network errors, nor bring back the missing features removed with version 2.0.1. But one issue was cleared up: 5-hour rewind won't be available on every station. Along with promising to fix the network error bug (it didn't, according to app user comments), the iTunes app description now advertises five-hour rewind only on "most" stations. SiriusXM's public relations team did not respond to my e-mails or calls about the reasons prompting this change. However, the entertainment giant's Twitter help team isn't as tight-lipped. In response to one app user's question about the missing rewind feature, @SiriusXM replied: "In some cases, with our News channels, our ability to offer Start Now is restricted by third parties & our contracts with them."It's not clear why the contracts prevent rewinding 5 hours of programming on a station, and yet upcoming satellite radio tuners let listeners record channels and shows. It's possible that some stations felt it competed with their own mobile products that they're struggling to monetize. Or it could be just another way to squeeze more money from SiriusXM.
It's official -- the best feature of SiriusXM's iPhone (and now Android app) has been removed from many of its most popular stations. Version 2.0.2 of the iPhone app confirmed what many subscribers suspected: licensing contracts got in the way of convenience and technology.The satellite radio company updated its iPhone app on April 16 to version 2.0.1. Many listeners who updated reported network errors preventing them from using the app, and others lucky enough to connect to SiriusXM bemoaned the loss of an exit button and were left wondering why 5-hour rewind was gone from their favorite stations. However, because the app was full of glitches and its iTunes description remained unchanged -- promising 5-hour rewind on all stations -- it wasn't clear if the feature loss was permanent or just a glitch. Version 2.0.2, released last week, seemed neither to fix the network errors, nor bring back the missing features removed with version 2.0.1. But one issue was cleared up: 5-hour rewind won't be available on every station. Along with promising to fix the network error bug (it didn't, according to app user comments), the iTunes app description now advertises five-hour rewind only on "most" stations. SiriusXM's public relations team did not respond to my e-mails or calls about the reasons prompting this change. However, the entertainment giant's Twitter help team isn't as tight-lipped. In response to one app user's question about the missing rewind feature, @SiriusXM replied: "In some cases, with our News channels, our ability to offer Start Now is restricted by third parties & our contracts with them."It's not clear why the contracts prevent rewinding 5 hours of programming on a station, and yet upcoming satellite radio tuners let listeners record channels and shows. It's possible that some stations felt it competed with their own mobile products that they're struggling to monetize. Or it could be just another way to squeeze more money from SiriusXM.
E3 2007- What's on deck for the PS3-
E3 2007: What's on deck for the PS3?
Sony launched a pre-emptive strike on the E3 grapevine with its announcement yesterday that it's cutting the price of the 60GB PlayStation 3 to $500, and offering a new 80GB model for $600 in August. But what else does the company have up its sleeve for the show? There are still at least a couple of unanswered questions offering grist for the rumor mill:rumble-enabled Sixaxis controller: Sony has already shot down rumorsthat the 80GB PS3 will come bundled with a new rumble-ready Sixaxis controller. (Of course, the company was denying rumors of a PS3 price cut as recently as last week.) But Sony's settlement with Immersion means that a rumble-ified PS3 controller is no longer an impossibility. video download service: The Xbox 360's Video Marketplace gives users access to downloadable movies and TV shows, including plenty of HD content that looks far better than anything Apple's iTunes Store has offered to date. Newsweek(via Kotaku) reports that a Sony online media store may be announced at the show, even though it won't be ready to roll out until later in the year. Given Sony's ample content holdings--including all those Columbia, Tri-Star, and MGM movies and TV shows--this has always been a question of when, not if.On the games front--which, after the price cut, is where the PS3 really needs to prove its mettle--there are quite a few exclusives to keep an eye on: Lair, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Metal Gear Solid 4, The Agency, and Killzone 2 will be among the titles making yet another E3 appearance. And we'll no doubt hear more news about the console's Second Life-like PlayStation Home service as well. But only time will tell whether one of those titles--or an as-yet-unseen game--will be the killer app that spurs PS3 sales back to the glory days of PlayStation dominance.The Sony press conference is Wednesday, July 11 at 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT (directly after Nintendo's). Crave will have complete coverage at that time.
Sony launched a pre-emptive strike on the E3 grapevine with its announcement yesterday that it's cutting the price of the 60GB PlayStation 3 to $500, and offering a new 80GB model for $600 in August. But what else does the company have up its sleeve for the show? There are still at least a couple of unanswered questions offering grist for the rumor mill:rumble-enabled Sixaxis controller: Sony has already shot down rumorsthat the 80GB PS3 will come bundled with a new rumble-ready Sixaxis controller. (Of course, the company was denying rumors of a PS3 price cut as recently as last week.) But Sony's settlement with Immersion means that a rumble-ified PS3 controller is no longer an impossibility. video download service: The Xbox 360's Video Marketplace gives users access to downloadable movies and TV shows, including plenty of HD content that looks far better than anything Apple's iTunes Store has offered to date. Newsweek(via Kotaku) reports that a Sony online media store may be announced at the show, even though it won't be ready to roll out until later in the year. Given Sony's ample content holdings--including all those Columbia, Tri-Star, and MGM movies and TV shows--this has always been a question of when, not if.On the games front--which, after the price cut, is where the PS3 really needs to prove its mettle--there are quite a few exclusives to keep an eye on: Lair, Heavenly Sword, Warhawk, Metal Gear Solid 4, The Agency, and Killzone 2 will be among the titles making yet another E3 appearance. And we'll no doubt hear more news about the console's Second Life-like PlayStation Home service as well. But only time will tell whether one of those titles--or an as-yet-unseen game--will be the killer app that spurs PS3 sales back to the glory days of PlayStation dominance.The Sony press conference is Wednesday, July 11 at 2:30pm ET/11:30am PT (directly after Nintendo's). Crave will have complete coverage at that time.
Dropbox is like Microsoft in the '90s, says startup's CEO
Dropbox is like Microsoft in the '90s, says startup's CEO
Dropbox has continued to grow at a steady, and rapid, pace because of its hold on both consumer and enterprise products, CEO Drew Houston said Monday at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.He said Dropbox has reached 200 million users, that's up from 175 million in July and 100 million in November. When asked which company Dropbox emulated, Houston likened his company to the Microsoft of yesteryear. The cloud-storage company has been pushing for growth on its enterprise side, while also courting developers to grow its number of apps and integrations."We have that consumer and enterprise kind of crossover," he replied. "Microsoft in the '90s is the company that most comes to mind in having this mass opportunity in both places."Related storiesScanner Pro turns an iPhone into a document scannerDropbox gets a mobile API and a trio of appsBuzz Out Loud 1221: Unbumble the Internet (podcast)But while Microsoft is a huge, public company, Houston has no interest in joining it in that arena anytime soon. Dropbox was valued at $4 billion last year, and Houston said it still has not spent all the money raised in the last round of funding, which gives the company the flexibility to innovate."We're using this time to really stay focused on the product and focused on the company, and maybe at some point we'll go public, but it's really not something we're focused on right now," he said.What the company is focused on is mobile, Houston said, adding that he thinks Dropbox needs a much different mobile product."When we started, it was really this extension of this magic folder that we put on our computer. The mobile app is just a window into your computer...what we're building is a completely different experience," he said.Houston also said Dropbox is not interested in the media-storage space -- one that's crowded with competitors like iTunes or Google Play for Music -- because it wants to focus on personal files, "the things that you're working on, the photos you take," and not commercial content.
Dropbox has continued to grow at a steady, and rapid, pace because of its hold on both consumer and enterprise products, CEO Drew Houston said Monday at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.He said Dropbox has reached 200 million users, that's up from 175 million in July and 100 million in November. When asked which company Dropbox emulated, Houston likened his company to the Microsoft of yesteryear. The cloud-storage company has been pushing for growth on its enterprise side, while also courting developers to grow its number of apps and integrations."We have that consumer and enterprise kind of crossover," he replied. "Microsoft in the '90s is the company that most comes to mind in having this mass opportunity in both places."Related storiesScanner Pro turns an iPhone into a document scannerDropbox gets a mobile API and a trio of appsBuzz Out Loud 1221: Unbumble the Internet (podcast)But while Microsoft is a huge, public company, Houston has no interest in joining it in that arena anytime soon. Dropbox was valued at $4 billion last year, and Houston said it still has not spent all the money raised in the last round of funding, which gives the company the flexibility to innovate."We're using this time to really stay focused on the product and focused on the company, and maybe at some point we'll go public, but it's really not something we're focused on right now," he said.What the company is focused on is mobile, Houston said, adding that he thinks Dropbox needs a much different mobile product."When we started, it was really this extension of this magic folder that we put on our computer. The mobile app is just a window into your computer...what we're building is a completely different experience," he said.Houston also said Dropbox is not interested in the media-storage space -- one that's crowded with competitors like iTunes or Google Play for Music -- because it wants to focus on personal files, "the things that you're working on, the photos you take," and not commercial content.
Samsung- 5M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 2 months
Samsung: 5M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 2 months
Samsung said today it has sold more than 5 million Galaxy Note 2 devices worldwide, just two months after the product was first released.The Korean technology giant said in a statement (Google Translate) that sales of the part-phone, part-tablet -- a so-called "phablet" -- hit the milestone around a month after Samsung sold 3 million of the devices in the first 30 days after its release.Related stories:Samsung: 3M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 30 daysApple targets Galaxy Note 2, S3 Mini in latest court requestThe 5.5-inch device is selling at roughly three times faster than its predecessor, the original Galaxy Note, which took three months to hit the 3 million mark. Earlier predictions by Samsung said the device could sell as many as 20 million units -- around double that of its predecessor -- thanks to a partnership with 260 carriers around the world. Despite hitting the 5 million figure, the Note 2's sales are way behind that of the Galaxy S3: Samsung sold 20 million of its flagship smartphone in the first 100 days after its launch. Nevertheless, the Note 2's sales are still no mean feat considering that the demand for larger 5-inch to-7-inch smartphones is significantly smaller than that for regular-sized devices.But it's not all been smooth-sailing for Samsung with the Note 2. Apple recently requested that the Galaxy Note 2 be added to an ongoing patent suit against Samsung, along with the Galaxy S3, and the Galaxy S3 Mini.The case is set to go to trial in 2014. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Samsung said today it has sold more than 5 million Galaxy Note 2 devices worldwide, just two months after the product was first released.The Korean technology giant said in a statement (Google Translate) that sales of the part-phone, part-tablet -- a so-called "phablet" -- hit the milestone around a month after Samsung sold 3 million of the devices in the first 30 days after its release.Related stories:Samsung: 3M Galaxy Note 2 units sold in 30 daysApple targets Galaxy Note 2, S3 Mini in latest court requestThe 5.5-inch device is selling at roughly three times faster than its predecessor, the original Galaxy Note, which took three months to hit the 3 million mark. Earlier predictions by Samsung said the device could sell as many as 20 million units -- around double that of its predecessor -- thanks to a partnership with 260 carriers around the world. Despite hitting the 5 million figure, the Note 2's sales are way behind that of the Galaxy S3: Samsung sold 20 million of its flagship smartphone in the first 100 days after its launch. Nevertheless, the Note 2's sales are still no mean feat considering that the demand for larger 5-inch to-7-inch smartphones is significantly smaller than that for regular-sized devices.But it's not all been smooth-sailing for Samsung with the Note 2. Apple recently requested that the Galaxy Note 2 be added to an ongoing patent suit against Samsung, along with the Galaxy S3, and the Galaxy S3 Mini.The case is set to go to trial in 2014. This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play
Report- Sony to launch latest iTunes challenger
Report: Sony to launch latest iTunes challenger
Sony has plans to launch a music and video subscription service, according to a report in The Financial Times. The Japanese conglomerate is expected to announce the service Wednesday at a technology show in Berlin, just ahead of Apple's media event in San Francisco.According to the FT, "Sony would use its [Web-connected] PlayStation games consoles as the starting point for a new service that users will be able to use across a range of other Internet-connected devices. That could include Walkman music players, Vaio computers, Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones."The service won't actually be ready to launch until next year, according to the paper. (Could it be that Sony wanted to piggyback on Apple's media event or at least muddy the waters?)One can only hope that this effort is better conceived than Sony's last attempt to challenge iTunes, with the ill-fated Sony Connect.Launched in 2004, Sony Connect was racked with software malfunctions and hobbled by the lack of consumer interest in Sony's digital music players. At the time, the iPod was running away with the market. Analysts blamed Connect's problems in part on the different goals of different divisions, such as the desire of the content creators to protect their music and movies from piracy vs. the stake the electronics division had in technologies such as the MiniDisc and the Memory Stick.Sony shuttered Connect two years ago.
Sony has plans to launch a music and video subscription service, according to a report in The Financial Times. The Japanese conglomerate is expected to announce the service Wednesday at a technology show in Berlin, just ahead of Apple's media event in San Francisco.According to the FT, "Sony would use its [Web-connected] PlayStation games consoles as the starting point for a new service that users will be able to use across a range of other Internet-connected devices. That could include Walkman music players, Vaio computers, Bravia TVs, Blu-ray players and Sony Ericsson mobile phones."The service won't actually be ready to launch until next year, according to the paper. (Could it be that Sony wanted to piggyback on Apple's media event or at least muddy the waters?)One can only hope that this effort is better conceived than Sony's last attempt to challenge iTunes, with the ill-fated Sony Connect.Launched in 2004, Sony Connect was racked with software malfunctions and hobbled by the lack of consumer interest in Sony's digital music players. At the time, the iPod was running away with the market. Analysts blamed Connect's problems in part on the different goals of different divisions, such as the desire of the content creators to protect their music and movies from piracy vs. the stake the electronics division had in technologies such as the MiniDisc and the Memory Stick.Sony shuttered Connect two years ago.
Report- RIM to launch QNX BlackBerry in 1st quarter
Report: RIM to launch QNX BlackBerry in 1st quarter
The timing of the launch is still conditional on the testing process, according to Boy Genius Report. Also of note, the blog reports that the first phone won't feature support for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server because of the complexities of rewriting the BES code for the new software. Instead, it will feature access to Microsoft's ActiveSync e-mail software.The new timetable suggests an accelerated schedule for RIM, which has previously said it expects to have a phone using its QNX software out by the first half of 2012. The "superphones" are seen as key to RIM's potential turnaround. RIM purchased QNX and its software to better compete with the newer operating systems offered by Apple and Google. The first device to run QNX, the PlayBook, has only seen mixed results in the market. Related stories:• Dialed in 185: We go BlackBerry picking• BlackBerry through the years• AT&T doubles down on BlackBerry with three OS 7 devices• Hands-on with the new BlackBerrysRIM is hoping to have more luck with its BlackBerry line. BGR reports that the Colt will feature a 1-gigahertz processor, slower than the dual-core processors RIM executives previously said were likely to be found in the next-generation smartphones. BGR noted, however, that the specifications could change. The news comes as RIM has pulled the wraps off several new BlackBerry devices and carrier partnerships. As I note here, it would be unwise to pick up the new BlackBerrys, which run an older operating system that will see less support once QNX becomes the focus for the company.
The timing of the launch is still conditional on the testing process, according to Boy Genius Report. Also of note, the blog reports that the first phone won't feature support for the BlackBerry Enterprise Server because of the complexities of rewriting the BES code for the new software. Instead, it will feature access to Microsoft's ActiveSync e-mail software.The new timetable suggests an accelerated schedule for RIM, which has previously said it expects to have a phone using its QNX software out by the first half of 2012. The "superphones" are seen as key to RIM's potential turnaround. RIM purchased QNX and its software to better compete with the newer operating systems offered by Apple and Google. The first device to run QNX, the PlayBook, has only seen mixed results in the market. Related stories:• Dialed in 185: We go BlackBerry picking• BlackBerry through the years• AT&T doubles down on BlackBerry with three OS 7 devices• Hands-on with the new BlackBerrysRIM is hoping to have more luck with its BlackBerry line. BGR reports that the Colt will feature a 1-gigahertz processor, slower than the dual-core processors RIM executives previously said were likely to be found in the next-generation smartphones. BGR noted, however, that the specifications could change. The news comes as RIM has pulled the wraps off several new BlackBerry devices and carrier partnerships. As I note here, it would be unwise to pick up the new BlackBerrys, which run an older operating system that will see less support once QNX becomes the focus for the company.
Report- RIM axes PlayBook sales target
Report: RIM axes PlayBook sales target
For the second quarter, RIM now expects to sell 800,000 to 900,000 tablets, down from its original goal of 2.4 million units, according to DigiTimes.The PlayBook kicked off launch day in mid-April with strong sales of 40,000 to 50,000 units. Since then, demand for the tablet has softened, said the sources.Though RIM may not reach its original sales target, the PlayBook has still sold well enough to place it among the top non-iPad devices, according to DigiTimes. Further, since the PlayBook is currently available as a Wi-Fi only device, DigiTimes said that market watchers are hopeful the tablet will generate more sales once its 3G, LTE, and WiMax versions reach consumers after the third quarter.in response to CNET's request for comment, a RIM representative said it's company policy to decline to comment on rumors and speculation.Facing competition from the iPad, other non-Apple tablet makers have also been forced to scale back on their plans.Acer last week revealed that it had misjudged how many Iconia Tab tablets it would sell this year and trimmed its sales forecast for the device by 60 percent.J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz recently said that the "weak showing" of products such as the Motorola Xoom, the PlayBook, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab have prompted tablet makers to slash their build plans by around 10 percent this year. Among global tablet makers, only Apple, HTC, and Lenovo have apparently kept their build plans the same since March. Other companies, such as Acer, Dell, Motorola, RIM, Toshiba, and Samsung have cut their build plans by double digit percentages, according to Moskowitz.Updated at 8:30 a.m. PT with response from RIM.
For the second quarter, RIM now expects to sell 800,000 to 900,000 tablets, down from its original goal of 2.4 million units, according to DigiTimes.The PlayBook kicked off launch day in mid-April with strong sales of 40,000 to 50,000 units. Since then, demand for the tablet has softened, said the sources.Though RIM may not reach its original sales target, the PlayBook has still sold well enough to place it among the top non-iPad devices, according to DigiTimes. Further, since the PlayBook is currently available as a Wi-Fi only device, DigiTimes said that market watchers are hopeful the tablet will generate more sales once its 3G, LTE, and WiMax versions reach consumers after the third quarter.in response to CNET's request for comment, a RIM representative said it's company policy to decline to comment on rumors and speculation.Facing competition from the iPad, other non-Apple tablet makers have also been forced to scale back on their plans.Acer last week revealed that it had misjudged how many Iconia Tab tablets it would sell this year and trimmed its sales forecast for the device by 60 percent.J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz recently said that the "weak showing" of products such as the Motorola Xoom, the PlayBook, and Samsung's Galaxy Tab have prompted tablet makers to slash their build plans by around 10 percent this year. Among global tablet makers, only Apple, HTC, and Lenovo have apparently kept their build plans the same since March. Other companies, such as Acer, Dell, Motorola, RIM, Toshiba, and Samsung have cut their build plans by double digit percentages, according to Moskowitz.Updated at 8:30 a.m. PT with response from RIM.
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