At 40, the Internet still reshaping history
Technology tour de forceThe Internet itself is a mind-boggling complex overlay of technologies that spans every level from steering photos down a glass fiber to showing where your friends are on a dynamically generated map. But the first half of its 40 years were spent largely in obscurity.Its early years involved just a relative handful of computers sending data to one another over increasingly large distances. The 1970s brought a key innovation, the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) that governs how data is broken down into packets, routed across numerous networking devices, and reassembled into their original form at the other end of the pipe.In the 1980s, e-mail started blossoming in earnest as a killer application for the Internet, and the World Wide Web arrived in the 1990s. These innovations vaulted the Internet from academia into the mainstream. Exploding popularity led to companies that sold Internet access, equipment, and services--and the first dot-com bubble.The bursting of that bubble was cataclysmic in the industry, but it was a mere blip in the Internet's history. According to Netcraft, there were 226 million Web sites in August, nearly 10 times the number around when the bubble burst. Google filled the void left by the collapsed start-ups with a powerfully profitable business making sense of the Internet's information chaos.What's perhaps notable about the Internet is how organic it is. In the short term, there are plenty of disruptions as one company or another suffers problems or technology can't match new demands. But in the long run, the system continues to function as researchers, computing companies, standards groups, and start-ups constantly upgrade the infrastructure and offer new reasons to use it.The next phase of growth is through cloud computing, in which people use software that's housed on the Net rather than on their own machines. Giant farms of servers house the applications people use, making them available to personal computers and mobile phones today and in-car computers and other devices tomorrow.Today's cloud computing applications are primitive compared to PC-based equivalents, but the browser is evolving to meet the new demands with accelerated graphics, much of the native power of a PC's processor, and maturing programming tools. That increased power fuels the arrival of more sophisticated applications.The dark sideThe Net is by no means perfect or universally beneficial.The ease with which it's enabled communications has led to a series of new conduits--e-mails, instant messages, blog posts distributed over RSS, tweets, and Facebook updates. That's handy for keeping in touch, but it also means people must grapple with a constantly shifting collection of oversaturated communication conduits.Sifting the signal from the noise can be nearly impossible--and that's before dealing with the spam.The Net also has brought with it plenty of new crime, facilitating identity theft and financial scams. Stalking has never been easier, and distributed denial-of-service attacks by armies of compromised computers can cripple a business' operations.I acutely feel the financial pains of journalism that arrived when the Internet brought an oversupply of news. Arguably, the ever-shrinking number of reporters is offset by the arrival of new voices and the ease of tracking what's going on, but I share the concerns about the waning power of the press to uncover corruption or other problems.The Net also has fueled the globalization that led to job losses and resentment as expensive labor in wealthier countries was replaced by cheaper workers elsewhere.The most worrisome issues I see stem from problems people themselves have adapting to social interaction on the Net.It seems our brains are hard-wired for a social circle about the size of a tribe, but now parts of our lives are on display to the whole world. Just closing your curtains now won't get you privacy, and good luck teaching Facebook's information sharing mechanisms to somebody not steeped in the subtleties of the social graph.The Internet can abet governmental censorship and propaganda efforts, too. My gut instinct tells me that the Net's power to disseminate information--especially when augmented by technology such as Google Translate--ultimately will prevail, but it's not a sure thing.So the Internet poses plenty of problems. But it's only gaining in importance, power, and reach, so my advice is to embrace it and try to shape it for the better for the next 40 years.
On Call- Go ahead and jailbreak, it's legal now
On Call: Go ahead and jailbreak, it's legal now
On Monday, the U.S Copyright Office ruled that jailbreaking an iPhone or other mobile device will no longer violate federal copyright law. Some iPhone owners no doubt cheered the news, and I join them in supporting the decision."Jailbreak" entered the wireless lexicon soon after the iPhone first went on sale in 2007. Though some CNET readers have asked me if jailbreaking is the same as unlocking a handset, it's actually a different process. When you jailbreak an iPhone, you remove the Apple-imposed restrictions that prevent you from loading applications not sold through the iTunes App Store. Unlocking, on the other hand, only removes the restrictions that tie your iPhone to AT&T. So on the same phone, you can perform just one action or, if you prefer, both.I welcome the decision because I've always advocated for giving customers as many choices as possible. Yes, I understand that jailbreaking carriers some risks--you void your warranty and you could wind up with a bricked phone if you're not careful--but those risks, rather than breaking the law, should be the only consequences that consumers should face. Not surprisingly, Apple is against the move. A company rep told CultofMac yesterday that its "goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone" and that it knows "that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience." The company also warned of malware in unapproved apps, though that doesn't explain its resistance to Google Voice.To its credit, the Apple isn't entirely off-base, so I'll save you any "Big Brother" references. After all, the company has always been about offering a consistent and tightly-controlled user experience on its products, so it's no surprise that the iPhone and iTunes App store should be any different. What's more, many consumers buy the iPhone because of that experience. Yet, that doesn't mean that Apple's way of doing things is always the best way. In the Android Market, for example, Google exerts very few controls over the app approval process. Though some might argue that no real gatekeeper degrades the overall quality of apps, customers have more control over how they use their device. Perhaps jailbreaking offers users something in between the two extremes.Before you run out and jailbreak, however, there are a couple points to remember. First off, if you free your phone, you'll still violate Apple's Apple iPhone Software License Agreement (PDF). Though Apple could legally go after you for that reason alone, as my colleagues Erica Ogg and Declan McCullagh wrote in their excellent FAQ, that it is unlikely to happen. Also, you'll need to jailbreak your phone again each time Apple issues a iOS update.I've never tried jailbreaking myself, and because of the complexities involved I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. But it you feel up to the task, you'll get more freedom with your phone. And now that freedom isn't illegal.
On Monday, the U.S Copyright Office ruled that jailbreaking an iPhone or other mobile device will no longer violate federal copyright law. Some iPhone owners no doubt cheered the news, and I join them in supporting the decision."Jailbreak" entered the wireless lexicon soon after the iPhone first went on sale in 2007. Though some CNET readers have asked me if jailbreaking is the same as unlocking a handset, it's actually a different process. When you jailbreak an iPhone, you remove the Apple-imposed restrictions that prevent you from loading applications not sold through the iTunes App Store. Unlocking, on the other hand, only removes the restrictions that tie your iPhone to AT&T. So on the same phone, you can perform just one action or, if you prefer, both.I welcome the decision because I've always advocated for giving customers as many choices as possible. Yes, I understand that jailbreaking carriers some risks--you void your warranty and you could wind up with a bricked phone if you're not careful--but those risks, rather than breaking the law, should be the only consequences that consumers should face. Not surprisingly, Apple is against the move. A company rep told CultofMac yesterday that its "goal has always been to insure that our customers have a great experience with their iPhone" and that it knows "that jailbreaking can severely degrade the experience." The company also warned of malware in unapproved apps, though that doesn't explain its resistance to Google Voice.To its credit, the Apple isn't entirely off-base, so I'll save you any "Big Brother" references. After all, the company has always been about offering a consistent and tightly-controlled user experience on its products, so it's no surprise that the iPhone and iTunes App store should be any different. What's more, many consumers buy the iPhone because of that experience. Yet, that doesn't mean that Apple's way of doing things is always the best way. In the Android Market, for example, Google exerts very few controls over the app approval process. Though some might argue that no real gatekeeper degrades the overall quality of apps, customers have more control over how they use their device. Perhaps jailbreaking offers users something in between the two extremes.Before you run out and jailbreak, however, there are a couple points to remember. First off, if you free your phone, you'll still violate Apple's Apple iPhone Software License Agreement (PDF). Though Apple could legally go after you for that reason alone, as my colleagues Erica Ogg and Declan McCullagh wrote in their excellent FAQ, that it is unlikely to happen. Also, you'll need to jailbreak your phone again each time Apple issues a iOS update.I've never tried jailbreaking myself, and because of the complexities involved I wouldn't recommend it to everyone. But it you feel up to the task, you'll get more freedom with your phone. And now that freedom isn't illegal.
Cloudy, with a chance of video
Cloudy, with a chance of video
With Apple's iCloud coming next week, hot on the heels of Amazon and Google's cloud services for music, it seems like the years-old dream of cloud media streaming is coming to greater fruition than ever before. That's promising news to me, a person who cut the cord on his cable TV over a year and a half ago. I live off the Internet and my various devices--my laptop, game consoles, iPhone, and iPad--to get my media, be it TV shows, movies, music or books.So far, it looks like 2011 will be more the year of Cloud Music than that of Cloud Video. And that's a shame, because I'm getting fed up with my half-baked digital-video life.I've spent the last week with a product called Pogoplug Video, which attempts to do what no one's currently offering yet: the ability to stream multiformat video files easily across multiple platforms, be they gaming console, computer, or phone/tablet, even across the Internet or 3G.I held high hopes for the Pogoplug Video. The $199 device is much like the Pogoplug Pro we reviewed last year, equipped with a more powerful processor. And, it does what it promises, to a point: video files stored on hard drives or USB sticks plugged into the Pogoplug do indeed technically play back on iPhones, iPads, laptops, or even via DLNA on an Xbox 360 or PS3.Pogoplug VideoCloud EnginesBut I say "technically" because the interface on the Pogoplug app is a little odd and muddled, and not every video file is compatible. The Xbox 360 and PS3 have their own oddities: each one streams certain files but not others. An MP4 didn't play on my Xbox, but it streamed perfectly on the PS3. iPhone 4 home movies didn't play well on either. Needless to say, neither did DRMed videos.I don't mean to harass the Pogoplug Video (a full review of the Pogoplug Video will come after my return from E3). My home Synology NAS server exhibits similar oddities. Video comes in too many versions, too many file formats, and bit rates. It's a standards-maker's nightmare, and a casual consumer's landscape to avoid.My point is this: when it comes to video, I sometimes feel like I'd just be better off playing DVDs and hooking up my cable/DVR again.My Xbox 360's greeting to my video file.Scott Stein/CNETMy dream is for a cloud service or home device that would help collate and play my videos. I hold onto some small hope for Apple's iCloud, but I'm not expecting the solution I'm looking for to emerge now. Of course, I could always use YouTube or Vimeo. Yes, for my own content--but that does nothing to help me organize my TV viewing and movies. For that, I resort to streaming services, like everyone else.But even the available landscape of TV and movie-streaming sites has never been more daunting or confusing.First you have Netflix, Hulu Plus, and every other streaming-media service with their fluctuating and incomplete libraries, offering a beautiful product that never has exactly what you're looking for.Then there are services like iTunes, which offer chunky media files that are DRMed and single-download, unless you opt for ever-so-brief 24- to 48-hour rental windows through services like Vudu, iTunes, or Amazon. Apps like Fanhattan aim to consolidate search, but the database wasn't complete the last time I checked.Yes, we're going deeper into cloud computing than ever before, but that's mainly for documents, photos, and music. Video is the final frontier, and the one that seems hardest to conquer. Unfortunately, I've yet to find any hardware that will help, either. And I'm not sure how much I want to keep searching.What's your solution for video?
With Apple's iCloud coming next week, hot on the heels of Amazon and Google's cloud services for music, it seems like the years-old dream of cloud media streaming is coming to greater fruition than ever before. That's promising news to me, a person who cut the cord on his cable TV over a year and a half ago. I live off the Internet and my various devices--my laptop, game consoles, iPhone, and iPad--to get my media, be it TV shows, movies, music or books.So far, it looks like 2011 will be more the year of Cloud Music than that of Cloud Video. And that's a shame, because I'm getting fed up with my half-baked digital-video life.I've spent the last week with a product called Pogoplug Video, which attempts to do what no one's currently offering yet: the ability to stream multiformat video files easily across multiple platforms, be they gaming console, computer, or phone/tablet, even across the Internet or 3G.I held high hopes for the Pogoplug Video. The $199 device is much like the Pogoplug Pro we reviewed last year, equipped with a more powerful processor. And, it does what it promises, to a point: video files stored on hard drives or USB sticks plugged into the Pogoplug do indeed technically play back on iPhones, iPads, laptops, or even via DLNA on an Xbox 360 or PS3.Pogoplug VideoCloud EnginesBut I say "technically" because the interface on the Pogoplug app is a little odd and muddled, and not every video file is compatible. The Xbox 360 and PS3 have their own oddities: each one streams certain files but not others. An MP4 didn't play on my Xbox, but it streamed perfectly on the PS3. iPhone 4 home movies didn't play well on either. Needless to say, neither did DRMed videos.I don't mean to harass the Pogoplug Video (a full review of the Pogoplug Video will come after my return from E3). My home Synology NAS server exhibits similar oddities. Video comes in too many versions, too many file formats, and bit rates. It's a standards-maker's nightmare, and a casual consumer's landscape to avoid.My point is this: when it comes to video, I sometimes feel like I'd just be better off playing DVDs and hooking up my cable/DVR again.My Xbox 360's greeting to my video file.Scott Stein/CNETMy dream is for a cloud service or home device that would help collate and play my videos. I hold onto some small hope for Apple's iCloud, but I'm not expecting the solution I'm looking for to emerge now. Of course, I could always use YouTube or Vimeo. Yes, for my own content--but that does nothing to help me organize my TV viewing and movies. For that, I resort to streaming services, like everyone else.But even the available landscape of TV and movie-streaming sites has never been more daunting or confusing.First you have Netflix, Hulu Plus, and every other streaming-media service with their fluctuating and incomplete libraries, offering a beautiful product that never has exactly what you're looking for.Then there are services like iTunes, which offer chunky media files that are DRMed and single-download, unless you opt for ever-so-brief 24- to 48-hour rental windows through services like Vudu, iTunes, or Amazon. Apps like Fanhattan aim to consolidate search, but the database wasn't complete the last time I checked.Yes, we're going deeper into cloud computing than ever before, but that's mainly for documents, photos, and music. Video is the final frontier, and the one that seems hardest to conquer. Unfortunately, I've yet to find any hardware that will help, either. And I'm not sure how much I want to keep searching.What's your solution for video?
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