Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Book review plug

Posted by John Stoehr on Tue, Sep 30, 2008 at 10:37 AM

I wanted to plug, before I forget, the new and interesting reviews of books we have online. Up now is a look at Freedom's Battle: The Origins of Humanitarian Intervention. We also have Guy Delisle's new graphic memoir recalling heat and oppression in Rangoon, Burma. And I wrote a review of a new book of poetry by a wonderful poet named Elizabeth Spires. This is something we're doing every week at City Paper's website. We believe books are important and we believe that people read. Please tell us what you think and add your two cents.

Topics: Books

Monday, September 29, 2008

Free movies courtesy of Adobe

Posted by John Stoehr on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 9:25 AM

A flaw in software made by Adobe Systems Inc, which is used for streaming movies and music, is allowing users to make loads and loads of copies. It's a bonanza of piracy! From Reuters . . .

A security hole in Adobe Systems Inc software, used to distribute movies and TV shows over the Internet, is giving users free access to record and copy from Amazon.com Inc's video streaming service.

The problem exposes online video content to the rampant piracy that plagued the music industry during the Napster era and is undermining efforts by retailers, movie studios and television networks to cash in on a huge Web audience.

"It's a fundamental flaw in the Adobe design. This was designed stupidly," said Bruce Schneier, a security expert who is also the chief security technology officer at British Telecom.

Full story

The end of the reign of TV commericials

Posted by John Stoehr on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 9:19 AM

Why watch them, when you can just skip them entirely? A German company has come up with a way of turning your PC into a TiVo. From the Associated Press . . .

TiVo Inc. and Nero AG of Germany were set to announce Monday that they will be launching a package that turns a Windows PC into a TV recorder, just like a TiVo set-top box.

The kit will cost $199 when it goes on sale Oct. 15, and includes a remote and a TV tuner that plugs into the PC. The interface on the computer screen looks just like the one on a TV equipped with a TiVo box.

It's not the first software that allows TV recording on the PC. That's been possible for years on computers equipped with TV tuners, and some versions of Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Vista operating system include the necessary software. But it will be the first time that both the TiVo interface and functions have been replicated on a PC.

Full story

Mo' digital movie theaters, mo' better

Posted by John Stoehr on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 9:15 AM

from Reuters . . .

A consortium of the nation's top movie-theater chains will announce within two weeks a $1 billion-plus financing agreement with four major studios to equip more than 15,000 screens nationwide with digital-projection systems during the next three years.

Full story

Topics: Film

You can help save internet radio!

Posted by John Stoehr on Mon, Sep 29, 2008 at 8:29 AM

This just in from the founder of Pandora . . . .

Hi, it's Tim from Pandora;

Today, thanks to the extraordinary support of many Pandora listeners, we took a giant step forward when the House of Representatives supported Pandora and Internet radio and passed the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008. Now we need your help so that the Senate will pass it also - and quickly... The finish line is in sight!

After a yearlong negotiation, Pandora, SoundExchange and the RIAA are finally optimistic about reaching an agreement on royalties that would save Pandora and Internet radio. The legislation would give us the extra time we need to finalize the deal.

Please call your Senators Monday morning starting at 9:00 (Eastern) and ask them to support the Webcaster Settlement Act of 2008.

The person who answers the phone in your Senator's office may ask for the bill number - it's H.R. 7084 (if they ask for a Senate bill number, you can assure them that in this unusual case, the Senate is actually voting on the House bill number).

Senator Lindsey Graham: (202) 224-5972

Senator Jim DeMint: (202) 224-6121

If the phone is busy, please try again until you get through. These calls really do make a difference.

Thanks so much for you ongoing support.

Tim

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