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There is apparently a mini uproar about NeroSoft TimeTrax 1.9, which records XM radio onto PC hard drives as MP3 files that are fully tagged.

(See this story for more)

I sort of see what they are saying. Well, we are paying a subscription fee - this seems a lot like a napster model. Since napster is only available to someone like me 1% of the time that I would want it, this is a viable alternative. Maybe a way to lock the files while I am still a subscriber - sort of like an Apple Fairplay approach.

Speaking of which, MacXM does not allow this functionality….

Hewlett Packard introduced the Apple iPod + HP today. It looks like a huge coup for Apple. Carly said that we’ll be able to buy iPod tatoos to customize our iPods in October. Fun!

The bad news is, Carly Fiorina can’t really pull off a keynote like Steve Jobs can. She should learn the recipe - thousands of rapid fans, a whimsical presentation style, showpersonship…c’mon Carly, do it up, or hire someone who can!

It was bound to be found eventually.

Security Watch Special: Windows XP SP2 Has a Dangerous Hole

There is a lot of lore about Mac OS X being more secure because less people use it. There’s a good article that discusses why this is not correct, that Mac OS X’s UNIX underpinnings are inherently more secure.

Mind you, I am not a Mac user because I don’t like Windows or Microsoft - Microsoft is the #1 developer for the Mac platform and they do a pretty good job (except for this Word 2004 bug I am noticing, I will post on it eventually). I am a Mac user because I like Mac OS X. I don’t spend time looking for reasons for people to not use Windows. I would not like to see the Mac have a large market share, just that it survive so everyone can choose their platform. It looks like I’m safe for a while to come.

I don’t think this is the one, either. No bluetooth. Expensive. Sharp, as a cell phone maker?

SonyEricsson, hurry up!Sharp TM-150 Specifications & Features (Phone Scoop)

A web site that helps you choose an alternate browser. Not a bad idea if you are into such things.

Glad to see there is a blog for PVR fans, such as myself: PVRblog | TiVo, ReplayTV, and other PVR news and reviews.

Now is there an XM radio blog?

When will Honda unveil this service in the U.S.? (InterNavi = Internet + Navigation) Trevor needs an upgrade! News - Honda Unveils Voice-Operated Car Navigation System

Sounds good. This will be a good service to use when they implement touch tones. Worth noting that 511 does not cost “extra.” Just regular cell minutes or free from a landline. Useful to know what’s going on in traffic in real time.

“We have hired a company to add a touch-tone option to the 511 system. As you mention, the computer has a hard time understanding words when there is lots of background noise. The touch-tone option is planned to be turned on in about two months. Until this happens, the old number of 206 368-4499 is supposed to continue to be available. Since the 511 system covers the entire state, there are going to be a few more buttons to push (sorry about that). However, we are planning to make one of the options be “floating bridges” so callers can hear both reports without selecting both 520 and 90.

FYI. The current voice activated 511 system provides traffic information from two different sources. One, it “reads” the red and black segments from the greater Seattle FLOW map that is on the Internet at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/pugetsoundtraffic/ Two, it “reads” incident and construction data from: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts/

I’m glad you are aware of the “distracted driver” issue and are using the phone when a passenger. When the 511 system was first envisioned, it was thought that voice recognition would help keep driver’s eyes on the road. We have since learned that you can get distracted even when looking straight ahead.”

I love real time traffic updates when driving. But I don’t like what the Department of Transportation has done with WSDOT - 511 - Traffic Updates.

Here’s my gripe, a letter sent to the e-mail feedback address on the Web site:

“I received your contact information off of the following Web site: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/511/ - if you are not the person who I should be writing about this, feel free to pass this on or let me know of an alternate contact.

I heard about 511 service today on satellite radio and am a former user of the old 206-368-4499 number for getting real time traffic updates while driving. The old system allowed me to hit the number ퟙ2ퟘ and then the number ퟙ1ퟘ on my touch tone cell phone to get updates on the Seattle traffic situation while driving. It allowed me to direct the driver of the vehicle I was in (I would call as the passenger) to take less congested routes around accidents, etc. Very handy.

The new system is voice activated, which makes it essentially unusable. Why? Due to traffic noise I cannot get my commands into the system without it ퟙhearingퟘ something else and getting stuck. It also takes much longer to get the needed information íŸÏ I have to ퟙsayퟘ the route number and then wait for it to confirm.

I wanted to suggest that for the use of the system by someone in my situation (driving on the road, in the passenger seat, informing the driver of which route to take while we are on the road), it might be better to ퟙsimplifyퟘ and use less technology, rather than more. Will there be an option for drivers to access this system via touch-tone commands that are not subject to in-car noise? Can we get access to an overview of the main thoroughfares quickly (520, 5, 405, 90) etc without having to recite and be told which route we are asking about?

For me, the extra time and effort required to get the information becomes a safety issue, and it takes significantly longer to get the same information I used to get by dialing 368-4499 and hitting ퟙ21.ퟘ

I do have access to satellite radio updates (channel 220) for Seattle, so I do have a backup, but I thought this might be useful feedback for your other potential users. Thank you for listening. The service sounds like a great idea.”

The price isn’t steep, but it’s just one more thing to subscribe to. Maybe if I traveled more…i-TRAK - The Lost Luggage Tracking Solution from Ilutra Systems Ltd

We’ve been wondering what’s next after Series 2. I thought TIVO was going to go under by now. There’s an article in Business 2.0 that discusses the “strangeberry” connection. Marc’s Voice: TiVO and Strangeberry

In a noble gesture, the tech editor of business week issued an apology to Steve Jobs for predicting that the iPod mini would be a flop: BW Online | August 19, 2004 | My Huge Mistake about the Mini.

He closed the article with “I was wrong, and I apologize here and now in front of millions of online readers, as promised.

And please, get well soon.”

Sad. Hope Steve is doing okay.

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