Episode 677

HD VMD is making its mainstream debut as the next NEXT-generation high-def DVD format. We're tired of war. But we like the low prices, yes, we do. In other tech news today, the Beatles may finally be coming to iTunes (for real this time) and the TSA doesn't believe the MacBook Air is a real laptop.

Stories CoveredEdit

• Beatles (finally) coming to iTunes?[1]

• Xbox 360 price drops in Europe[2]

• Digg CEO shoots down bidding war rumors[3]

• TSA can’t believe MacBook Air is a real laptop, causes owner to miss flight[4]

• To Aim Ads, Web Is Keeping Closer Eye on You[5]

• HD VMD going mainstream[6]

• EPA fines Iogear over ‘germ-free’ claims[7]

• Wikileaks Calls For Global Boycott Against eNom[8]

• T-Ray Camera Sees Through Clothes, Preserves Privacy[9][10]

• 10-year anniversary of the MP3 player[11]

From The PhonesEdit

• Blake from Alabama: Where do I sign?

• Tom from Minnesota: The Palm emulator for iPhone is …

EmailsEdit

Denver WiFiEdit

Hey buzzcrew,

About that Denver free WiFi and having no right to complain because it is free: Its *not* free! Every time you fly into any airport, you get hit with a fee that subsidizes the cost of running that airport. I’m sure that Denver is taking some of that fee to pay for the WiFi connection to a backbone and associated costs. So yeah, I DO have the right to complain. VPN might be a work around, but why make users go through that trouble? This is just another example of the nanny state we live in.

My 1 cent (adjusted for the weak dollar).

Barry Stubbs

Movie industry rantEdit

On episode 675 you had a rant that so infuriated me, that I had to cool down for a couple days before writing to you. I am an executive in the movie theater industry. Your misrepresentation of facts about the movie industry numbers for 2007 have nearly destroyed my confidence in your credibility. Three examples of incomplete or misstatements are:

• You reported that the revenues in domestic (U.S. and Canada) theaters reached a record level in 2007 (up 5.4%), but you failed to note that attendance was essentially flat with the previous year. All the increase was a result of admission price increases. This is not a sign that the industry is healthy and continuing to grow, in spite of piracy, as you claimed.

• Molly stated twice that the industry reported record profits. Revenues do not necessarily equate to profits. The dramatic increase in costs of production, marketing and operating theaters have actually driven profits down for both the distributor and for theaters.

• Molly expressed amazement and disbelief that the MPAA is trying to claim that the domestic theatrical revenues would have been $7 billion higher, if not for piracy; that is not what they are saying at all. While it can certainly be argued that the $7 billion piracy number used by the MPAA may be aggressive; it is a world-wide number, not domestic. Their number also includes their forecasted impact on all revenue streams (DVD, pay-per-view, network sales, etc.), not just theaters. So on multiple fronts you were comparing apples to oranges and using that to call the MPAA liars because of it.

While I understand the points you were trying to make, the way you applied the "facts" in your arguments were flawed and/or incomplete.

Regards;

Doug-the-movie-executive

Thanks for helping me on my French test!Edit

JaMoTo,

I'd like to thank you so much for helping me on my French test! It was over food that was served in French cafes and we had to know the correct term for "apple juice", "jus d'pomme". My mind totally drew a blank until I thought of episode 674: Pomme not Pom. I ended up getting an A+ on the test, thanks so much!

Sincerely,

Dylan Hilton

Additional NotesEdit

• Tom is on the show via telephone because he is at SXSW.

After The CreditsEdit

• Alex: "If necessary, defang, declaw and disrobe adversaries."
• Unknown Caller: Molly, Tom and Jason got my MacBook confiscated!