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Movies

Submission + - Netflix Launches Downloads: Watch Now

Mike writes: "Netflix launched a new movie download service called "Watch Now" at no charge for current subscribers. The typical Netflix subscriber will get 18 hours of free movie downloads, in addition to access to 70,000 DVD movies. Access will be limited at first, but HackingNetflix has screen shots and more info."
Businesses

Submission + - Who should foot the bill for phishing?

unfunk writes: "According to this report recently aired on ABC Radio (Australia), the financial sector is pushing for the cost of phishing to be offloaded onto the consumers. Currently, if a person is a victim of fraud, the bank reimburses them the money lost, and chases up the fraudster.
Under the proposed changes to the Electronic Funds Transfer Code of Conduct, then the customer will simply be out of pocket by however much they were defrauded.

From the article:
Taking money out of the ATM machine or using EFTPOS to pay for the groceries is now the preferred payment option for most Australians.
People are also embracing the BPAY system that allows people to pay their bills on the internet. Each month, some 14 million bills worth $9 billion are paid online.
But this growth in electronic transactions has also led to a surge in internet fraud.

Greg Tanzer is the Executive Director of Consumer Protection at the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, or ASIC.

GREG TANZER: We're quite often releasing warnings about the latest internet based scam. Also these phishing emails, where someone sends out a blanket email asking you to verify your account details and password and there's certainly a very large number of those that circulate around the internet every day.

JENNIFER MACEY: Twenty years ago, ASIC set up the Electronic Funds Transfer Code of Conduct.
This code of practice covers ATM and EFTPOS transactions, telephone and internet banking and bill payments.
Now this code is under review.

GREG TANZER: We really think that it's important to update the code to take account of changes in technology and changes in the way that consumers do their banking.

JENNIFER MACEY: So are the banks pushing for consumers to take on greater responsibility?

GREG TANZER: I think there are some in the industry who certainly want much more specificity about when it is that customers should be held liable.

On one hand, if you are silly enough to fall for these types of scams, then you deserve what you get. On the other hand though, with banks increasingly encouraging their customers to do all of their financial transactions electronically via EFTPOS, BPay, online banking, and the like, then should they not be required to protect the customers as best they can?
With bank profits in Australia acheiving new records each year, then a cynical person might suggest that they are only interested in looking after their own accounts, rather than that of their customers..."
Wireless (Apple)

Submission + - Real Cost of the iPhone: $1936

An anonymous reader writes: CenterNetworks calculated the real cost of purchasing and using the iPhone for one year. The cost comes out to $1,936. Just amazing. Who can afford this type of cash?

True cost of the iPhone
Democrats

Submission + - Dem Moves to Stifle Free Speech

sycodon writes: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) made an surprise appearance at the convention (National Conference for Media Reform)to announce that he would be heading up a new House subcommittee which will focus on issues surrounding the Federal Communications Commission......Also in consideration is the "Fairness Doctrine,". Kucinich said in his speech that "We know the media has become the servant of a very narrow corporate agenda" and added "we are now in a position to move a progressive agenda to where it is visible."

It is common knowledge that the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine was responsible for the explosive success of Talk Radio and enabled (for better or worse) hundreds of new media outlets to flourish.

Read the full scoop here http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=333927
Communications

"Series of Tubes" Metaphor Implemented 266

meisteg writes to tell us about Tubes: a beta application that uses a tube metaphor to enable users to share files over the Internet. The Windows-only app is free and the company hopes to make money on an enhanced version targeted at businesses. See this video for some details of how Tubes works. From the article: "[Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens] endured ridicule last year for his assertion that the Internet is 'a series of tubes.' But one Web startup hopes to bring that metaphor to life with a new service that makes it easy for people to share videos, songs, pictures and other big files."
Space

Submission + - Amateur astronomers pursue next great discovery

Davemania writes: CNN has an interesting article on how internet has changed amateur astronomy by providing them an ever increasing amount of astronomy data. Following in the footstep of SETI@Home, astronomers and researcher are increasingly enlisting the help of internet users to help them analyze images and data in pursuit of the next major breakthrough. A example of this identified in this article is the Systemic Project that allows enthusiast to look for extrasolar planets.
PC Games (Games)

Submission + - Blizzard hints at new StarCraft by 2008

jtorry writes: "Blizzard fans were out in force in London tonight, celebrating the launch of the much anticipated World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade expansion, but another Blizzard game might have stolen the limelight. Itzik Ben Bassat, Vice President Business Development and International for Blizzard Entertainment, took the stage at HMV, Oxford Street, London, and said some rather revealing words.

"I'm a StarCraft player myself and I hope it's not a decade, and we launched StarCraft in 1998, before I'm standing here again, celebrating the next game in the series," stated Bassat while on stage.

So, while not an official date for the next game in the StarCraft series, a new game by 2008 looks very likely. We'll keep our ear to the ground for more info.

http://www.pro-g.co.uk/news/15-01-2007-4502.html"
Data Storage

Toshiba Touts 51GB HD DVD 236

srizah writes to mention that Toshiba plans to launch a 51 GB HD DVD, with a 1 GB advantage over Sony's Blu-ray disc. From the article: Toshiba has submitted a triple-layer, 51GB HD DVD-ROM disc to the standard's overseer in the hope the technology will be adopted as a standard by the end of the year. If approved, it allow the format to exceed the 50GB storage capacity of rival medium Blu-ray Disc. The HD DVD standard currently defines single- and dual-layer discs capable of holding 15GB and 30GB of data, respectively."
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - FBI Can Legally Check your Credit Report

Anonymous Coward writes: "Looks like the FBI can now legally pull your credit report to keep tabs on you, from the article: "The Defense Department of the United States has been checking the credit of Americans and foreigners alike due to suspected terrorism and espionage. However, when bank records and credit activity is checked, judge's approvals are bypassed, and subpoenas are not presented. Three or four decades ago (1960's to 1970's) this authority was brought to surface and the Pentagon, CIA and FBI had full use of this procedure. Since then, it has not been used. The Patriot Act re-affirmed that this measure could once again be taken up and used at will. Dick Cheney says, "It's perfectly legitimate activity. There's nothing wrong or illegal with it. It doesn't violate people's civil rights." Cheney also states, "The Defense Department gets involved because we've got hundreds of bases inside the United States that are potential terrorist targets."

Yikes! Thanks alot Patriot Act."
Music

Mandatory DRM for Podcasts Proposed 432

Knytefall writes "Joe Biden, Dianne Feinstein, and two GOP senators are sponsoring a bill called the PERFORM Act that would require podcasts with music and satellite radio to be locked-up with music industry-approved DRM software. From the article: 'All audio services — Webcasters included — would be obligated to implement "reasonably available and economically reasonable" copy-protection technology aimed at preventing "music theft" and restricting automatic recording.'"

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