Thom Hartmann: IPhone video kill switch...the George Orwell-ification of America?

[thomhartmann]

Run time: 07:12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9HEK9DSsj0   Posted on YouTube: June 22, 2011 By YouTube Member: TheBigPictureRT Views on YouTube: 132   Posted on DU: June 22, 2011 By DU Member: thomhartmann Views on DU: 3612

 
Ginger McCall, Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) joins Thom Hartmann. So much for using your I-phone to record concerts and sporting events. In order to stop people from posting videos of live events online that some companies may have exclusive rights to - Apple is working with commercial broadcasters to disable the I-phone’s video recorder at such events. Infrared sensors mounted at these live events will scan the audience for I-phones and then disable the video-recording feature. It's unclear if Apple is doing this so that they can sell more stuff - like licenses to record certain live events - or if Apple just wants to lend a helping hand to record companies in exchange for better deals at the I-Tunes store. One thing is clear though - this technology could have devastating effects on citizen journalism as more and more people are using their cell phones to record breaking news. Keep an eye on this one - it could be the next step toward the George Orwell-ification of America

The Big Picture with Thom Hartmann on RT TV & FSTV "live" 9pm and 11pm check
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[Cronus Protagonist]

1. Doesn't affect me, I haven't bought into the idea that Jobs should control me

I use any brands OTHER than Apple for all my computing and communication needs....

And anyway, a small strip of tape over your Apple product's IR receiver would thwart that application. I'd just paint over mine, if I had one, as IR is a useless feature anyway.

[EnviroBat]

3. I have an iPhone 3GS.

I don't see an "IR Receiver" anywhere on it. Does the 4G have one? One solution to this potential problem is to get 1 of about 50 brands of micro HD video recorder available out there. The assholes could beam all the IR signal at you they want. Your device won't understand what it's trying to disable and you will still be able to merrily shoot away. On a lighter note. If Apple were to implement this, I for one would never but a piece of Apple shit again.

[Initech]

2. Fuck Apple, I'm done.

I've never in my life seen a company at war with it's users more than Apple has waged. My contract is up in October and I'm seriously considering switching sooner.

[EnviroBat]

4. I'm thinking about bailing on Apple as well...

I have an iMac that has slowly faded into obscurity. Once you buy one of these machines, the clock starts ticking. Hell, they are up to OSX Lion now?!?!? The machine I have won't support the OS so my choice is to shell out another $2200.00 to continue to exist within the magic Apple Universe. When I look back on the last two years of an AT&T contract with the iPhone, I don't really know what I was gaining with the Apple product, with the exception of terrible network coverage and a GPS that can't show you where you within a mile of accuracy. The apps are cool I guess, but then again, so are the apps that my fiancee downloads on her Android Galaxy 4gs something or other...

Apple? Meh.

[Initech]

5. I'll never buy an iMac for those reasons alone.

I've always been skeptical of all in one machines because if one part breaks down you have to send in the whole computer. I like my self-built system - if I want a new graphics card I buy a new graphics card. I don't get shut out of my hardware the way Apple does.

[Tesha]

9. That's funny given that the list price of iMacs is $1199 to $1999.

And Mac Minis are $699 and MacBooks (including the
trés chic Air) start at $999.

But feel free to keep spreading disinformation.

Tesha

[Cronus Protagonist]

11. So what's $1999 plus tax?

Doesn't that iMac have a calculator in it? Here, let me do it for you. In CA it's 8.25 percent tax... let's see... that's $169.92 added onto the list price, makes it $2168.92 - I think that's a reasonable round up to 2200 bucks for an iMac.

[Tesha]

15. Now you're just trying to cover up your mistake.

Here in NH, there isn't any sales tax.

And even in places where there is sales tax, it increases
the cost of a PC (etc.) in the same proportion.

Tesha

[Cronus Protagonist]

19. Oh, I get it

You're special.

:rofl:

[EnviroBat]

30. You know what's really special?

I can buy a PC that's equally as capable as an iMac for about 1000 dollars less! Unfortunately I live in a state that has sales tax. So my 900$ pc will end up costing me about 1.4 million dollars. I dunno, maybe I'm not all that good with rounding numbers...

[EnviroBat]

29. Wow Tesha, That funny given that 1999 + tax comes to rought 2200$

As I stated. Please feel free to keep chewing on your own foot.

[Crowman1979]

6. Is there is Linux answer to the Iphone?

[Tesha]

7. Not exactly, but if you want to be out on the edge, consider the new Nokia N9.

It's a complete orphan, but it runs MeeGo, a version
of Linux co-developed between Intel, Nokia, and others.

http://www.gsmarena.com/nokia_n9-3398.php



Tesha

[Initech]

13. I've heard good things about the Nokia MAEMO platform too.

[Tesha]

14. MeeGo is Maemo; they changed the name as they partnered with Intel. (NT)

[baldguy]

8. And people wonder why I hate Apple.

[Tesha]

10. Yes, Microsoft *NEVER* does anything like this to anyone.

And Linux is just as easy to use as Windows and Max OS.

Tesha

[Cronus Protagonist]

12. Microsoft does not have the power to do that

Unlike Apple, they don't control your hardware, nor do they have Apples monopoly on the hardware.

[blank space]

20. Please stop talking like your an expert - please.

Linux is not even on the same planet as Microsoft - only Linux users will tell you that - its the same junk that comes out of Apple users.

(I was an Apple fanbois for years before switching to Windows almost 12 years ago - I have to use Apple every single day as part of my Job).

Apple users are without doubt the very, very bottom of the pile when it comes to computer literacy, thats the entire premise of their system - its made for idiots. I have always recommended Apple gear to friends and family who are completely illiterate with computers.

For anyone else Linux is great if your a purist who wants to live in isolation, but quite simply Windows 7 is the best bit of kit I have ever seen. Stunning. (EVerything before this was admittedly very difficult to work with - Apple was just even worse).


The Nokia N9 should not be bought by anyone under any circumstances - Its software is being relegated to the labs. They will be pursuing Windows 7 mobile.

To be clear - Nokia have been and still are by far and away the very best handsest makers - their hardware is unsurpassed, however their software, like linux, is for power users, while the UI they offer has similarly been for hard core users and offered very little for the average punter. Their turn around with their latest Symbian s60, Meego, Maemo and N900 phones were too little too late.

Windows 7 is by far the best operating system I have ever come across - stunning piece of kit. But having said that they are now heading down the path of Jobs closed eco system.

There is simply no choice right now if you want to have a fantastic user experience - Android or Windows 7.

HTC phones have been leading the way = Droid, Incredible, Desire are all decent. There are plenty more coming soon though.

I will be looking at a Nokia Windows 7 at the end of this year.

For tablets nothing surpasses the Windows 7 ASUS Eee Slate EP121 Tablet, for something cheaper go for the Asus Android Transformer.


For the desktop / laptop Windows 7 on a custom built machine should be about as powerful as any off the shelf machine out there and less than $1000.00

I always have my machines hand made - I build software for a living which primarily delivers hard core multumedia experiences so I need very heavy lifting and you can get it all for between $1000.00 and $2000.00 depending on how ridiculous you want it. (I could easily be running real time 3d rendering with integrated video, text effects, all via the CPU (not GPU) etc for around $1200.00).

Cheers,

[Tesha]

27. Wow -- so many errors and opinion-masquerading-as-fact in one post, it's not even worth...

...beginning to point them all out.

Tesha

[EnviroBat]

31. I may give the Andriod OS a look.

I had the HTC Touch Pro, and the Windows Mobile platform, (version 6 back then) was abysmal as a UI. The navigation was so cumbersome I wanted to throw the phone at something solid every day. I'm hoping Windows has made some advancements to their mobile platform. I currently develop apps for iPhone using Objective C. But I run in a Windows 7 platform. I've been so impressed with Windows 7. They really have created a solid, fast OS that is light years better than the days of XP and Vista. But according to some here, I don't know what I'm talking about, so I'll go along limping my iMac with it's no-longer supported OS into obscurity until I can afford to take a second mortgage on my house to buy a new one. I bought it for ProTools originally, and it still does that pretty well...

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Pharaoh]

16. Film Cameras!

will come back, or we will find a way to over ride this. We are not stupid and we will trump this shit. This is freedom of the press/freedom of speech.

[Pharaoh]

17. If they can do it with Iphones

they can do it with everything. Apple needs to be sent a very strong message from consumers of their overpriced shit.

[lbrtbell]

24. Best way to send Apple a message

Stop buying their crap. ;)

[a simple pattern]

18. So I guess we'll have to give little infrared guns

to the police now

[Richard D]

21. Four weeks

About the maximum time it'll take for hackers to have a patch out that'll disable the disabling feature.

[blank space]

22. If was on Android, open source,

It would be done in less than ten minutes.

[Initech]

26. Four weeks? More like four days, ha.

[Cowpunk]

25. I have to admit, I'm torn.

I'm a proud civil libertarian, but I really fucking hate people sticking their goddamn phones in the air at concerts. And I'm sick of their ubiquitous shit concert videos on Youtube.

[EnviroBat]

32. Yeah, I love trying to watch someones hand shot crap video.

The sound levels are killing their mic the whole time so everything sounds like a freight train crashing through a china shop. The video is out of focus because the subject is 200 yards away. Why do they even bother to post that garbage? Bored I guess...

[onehandle]

28. Freakouts like this based on patent 'sketches' are ridiculous.

Apple files tens of thousands of these sketches every year. When someone there thinks of something, they patent it. All big tech companies do this. Very few of them ever come to see the light of day.

I've done some patent drawings while freelancing for an investment banker. Most of the tech 'ideas' made me roll my eyes.



I just drew a giant clown eating buildings in Manhattan. Alert the media.