Does the Zune 2.0 matter?
The Zune 2.0 is coming out, but with more of a whimper than a bang. The new features include new flash models, a black 80GB hard drive model, WiFi syncing, podcast and recorded TV support, according to An in-depth look at the new Zune lineup by Ars Technica. Additionally, these new features will be made available to Zune 1.0 users through a firmware update.
The Zune 2 is basically what the Zune 1 should have been. Its online music store / syncing tool has been rewritten to be as easy to use as iTunes. Hopefully this new Zune will sell more than the paltry 1.2 million units its predecessor sold, but I’m not optimistic. Now that Apple has released their touch-based devices, Microsoft, and every other portable device maker not using touchscreens, is simply a loser. Why would I buy a device with a tiny screen to watch movies on when I can buy a device that removes all the clunky wheel controls and fills all the available space with a gorgeous widescreen?
Specification-wise, the new Zune and iPod touch are basically identical, but interface wise, its a completely different story.
Cheap Cellphone Jammer
I find this Personal Cell Phone Signal Blocker Device interesting. Not only does it retail for about $50, it offers portable jamming of all cellular signals (GSM, CDMA, DCS, PHS, 3G). All the iPhone toting Apple neophytes within a 2 to 40 foot radius will be unable to operate their shiny devices for three hours until your 1500mAh battery dies.
They note that “certain countries” like the USA forbid you from owning one:
Important Note: Usage and purchase of this item may not be allowed in certain countries. It is your responsibility to check for your local regulations. DX is not responsible for customs confiscations. if you are not sure whether you country allows importing this product, do not use EMS express shipping to avoid problems.
According to Wikipedia, this is because of the Communications Act of 1934. However, if you’re interested in this sort of thing you should read the Phrack piece on building a GPS jammer or the How Stuff Works article on jammers for a more basic overview.
Google Finance Technology Summary Bug
More interesting than their streaming quotes coloring bug, today I signed on to Google Finance to see that Technology took a hit last night, down -250141000.00%:
The problem is the ticker ASML (ADR), which appears to be suffering from integer overflow. The ticker (according to Yahoo finance) just changed to ASMLD, and Google probably got a near-0 floating point value for the price that caused its asymptote to spike. Or at least that’s what I hope for a stock with a price of $9,223,372,036,854,775,807 and market cap of -9,223,372,036,854,775,807. Here’s a link to the quote for this symbol.
