http://www.techdirt.com/ Easily digestible tech news.... http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1540 Thu, 23 May 2013 10:02:09 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1540
I will point out that the rest of us are discussing fatboy's patent trolling and treatment by Masnick. Try to be calm, get yourself under some control and add something pertinent to the discussion for a change.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/17321623162/released-video-silva-beating-shows-his-last-moments-video-actual-beating-still-missing.shtml#c867 Thu, 23 May 2013 10:01:26 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/17321623162/released-video-silva-beating-shows-his-last-moments-video-actual-beating-still-missing.shtml#c867 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c231 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:59:16 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c231 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1532 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:58:49 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1532 Very glib Masnick. But anyone with an ounce of objectivity can see that patent trolling by Dotcom is treated very differently by you than patent trolling by others.

Exactly. Yet here he is pretending like he's not giving Dotcom a free pass. Dishonest is as dishonest does.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1512 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:57:40 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1512 Hey, AJ, can you stop denying that you've been payed by your masters at the MAFIAA and just be honest for once? Any chance you could just admit it? Thanks.

I am not being paid by anyone. I speak my mind honestly and directly. Mike can't stand it. He only knows how to attack people--and not the merits of their posts. He's having trouble finding personal attack vectors with me.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130521/20101423164/att-says-you-can-use-any-video-streaming-app-you-want-just-as-soon-as-it-can-get-meter-running.shtml#c391 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:57:06 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130521/20101423164/att-says-you-can-use-any-video-streaming-app-you-want-just-as-soon-as-it-can-get-meter-running.shtml#c391
OK, so it's annoying that their bundled apps are limited. But so long as they let people download and install other apps that are not limited, that's still a neutral network.

We all know they want you to pay for the bigger data packages, then use as little as possible. That's good biz for them. So they bundle video apps that are crippled. Why would you expect you to offer "weapons" to forces that are not their allies? Do you think they are the CIA?

No surprise they do what they do. And no real scandal to talk about, since the fix is as easy as downloading a better option. I think that non-deletable bloatware in general is a bigger issue.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1501 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:55:37 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1501 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1478 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:55:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1478 Yeah. That pretty much says it all, doesn't it?

That you didn't condemn this obvious patent trolling as being bad in and of itself (as opposed to just potentially bad for his criminal case) is very noteworthy, and it speaks volumes about you and your love of Dotcom.

Pointing out that this is a dumb move and probably hurts his own case is giving him a free pass?

Yes, because you didn't condemn the act of trolling apart from it's possible negative effect on his case. You're worried it hurting him. You expressed no concern about the trolling otherwise, and you didn't even throw out your usual FUD about the validity of the patent. Only saying this might hurt his criminal case and not saying anything else negative about it is a free pass from you. Had this been IV, you would have said a lot more--and you know it.

Can you address my point about there being alleged specific criminal infringement? Or are you sticking by your claim that there is none despite that position being completely untenable? I'm happy to quote the exact text from the indictment again if you want.

Seriously, dude, I've told you before, and I'll say it again: you need to stop listening to the voices in your head that you THINK is me, and start responding to what I actually said. The fact that you have this strawman Mike built up in your head who is nothing like I actually am, but which you insist is the real me, is fucking weird.

This trope again? No matter how slimy and dishonest I think you to be, you only keep proving that you're worse than I think. Want some credibility? Admit that specific criminal infringement is alleged. After that, admit that had this been IV, you would have been a lot more critical and condemning. That's a good starting point. But your sliminess in pretending like you didn't give him a free pass only reinforces my views about you. I can point to hundreds of other things you ran away from rather than just admit if you want.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1476 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:54:46 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1476 If he had his assets not frozen, he could properly defend himself.

Quite so. But they're frozen. Except assets to fight his extradition were returned, I believe. So it's unclear that he will even be standing trial in the US.

What I love the most about all of you piracy apologists is how hung-ho you are.... right up until it's time to open your wallets. Where's the ACLU and EFF? Where is Reddit? Where are the tech firms whose business models are imperiled? Where are all of the netizens who protested SOPA? Same place they were when Aaron Swartz needed money for his defense... sitting on their wallets pretending not to notice. I'd sure hate to be in a foxhole with any of you people.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130523/01030023182/man-butt-dials-911-while-discussing-murder-plot.shtml#c350 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:53:21 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130523/01030023182/man-butt-dials-911-while-discussing-murder-plot.shtml#c350
Another interesting fact: They are not releasing the 911 call. Was there even a call or is this always-on spying?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c745 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:52:59 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130521/18265123163/reporters-find-exposed-personal-data-via-google-threatened-with-cfaa-charges.shtml#c745 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c206 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:48:40 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c206 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1472 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:47:41 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1472 ACCUSED of copyright infringement that has you and AJ and others with your panties in a knot?

Take your pick, they're all likely correct.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130521/20101423164/att-says-you-can-use-any-video-streaming-app-you-want-just-as-soon-as-it-can-get-meter-running.shtml#c378 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:47:26 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130521/20101423164/att-says-you-can-use-any-video-streaming-app-you-want-just-as-soon-as-it-can-get-meter-running.shtml#c378
A cellular voice line, connected and left on for 24 hours a day and one month, would use in the neighborhood of 3-4 GB of data. It cannot possibly use more, and most likely will use much, much less.

OTOH, a mobile data user is able to transceive tremendous amounts of data, not limited by the fact that the codec is 8-16 Kbps. And the more a carrier upgrades the network and the phone, the more data each subscriber can move.

Voice is just data. But data is not just voice.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130523/01030023182/man-butt-dials-911-while-discussing-murder-plot.shtml#c313 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:46:01 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130523/01030023182/man-butt-dials-911-while-discussing-murder-plot.shtml#c313 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1451 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:45:27 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1451 http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1427 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:44:18 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1427
Plus, as we've been saying, if Megaupload loses, then how long until other websites start getting bullied by the U.S. government over copyright infringement?]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c196 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:42:11 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130522/10290323174/vod-service-acetrax-shuts-down-germany-customers-movies-are-lost-due-to-drm.shtml#c196
Comment of the week right there.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130521/20101423164/att-says-you-can-use-any-video-streaming-app-you-want-just-as-soon-as-it-can-get-meter-running.shtml#c361 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:40:13 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/blog/wireless/articles/20130521/20101423164/att-says-you-can-use-any-video-streaming-app-you-want-just-as-soon-as-it-can-get-meter-running.shtml#c361
They charged more for tethering, but they also blocked it, fought against it, and the OS and firmware installed made tethering apps hard to install, and only available to moderately skilled hackers.

In this case, they're just saying "You wanna stream video, you download the app."

If tethering had been that easy, there would never have been any tethering controversy at all.

PS: Their tethering stills sucks *even* when you pay for it. They put a complicated app on the phone to manage tethering, and it checks with the network to ensure that you have paid for tethering, then it pops up several useless warnings like "Tethering will turn on your Wi-Fi. Yes, no?" then it turns finally tethers. Probably about 15 seconds delay for what should be 2. That inserts complexity and delay. I'd rather use hacks, even though I paid.]]> http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1409 Thu, 23 May 2013 09:38:00 PDT http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20130523/00174423181/kim-dotcom-threatens-to-sue-google-facebook-twitter-over-2-factor-authentication-patent-if-they-dont-help-him.shtml#c1409