Roku Gets the Stick

Roku Gets the Stick
Number	2184
Broadcast Date	March 5, 2014
Episode Length	36:26
Hosts	Tom Merritt
Guests	Iyaz Akhtar

Iyaz Akhtar joins us as we get the lowdown on Roku’s updated streaming stick, Logitech’s new remote, and some thoughts on Facebook, Yahoo, Guns and the Winklevoss Twins in space.

Guest

• Iyaz Akhtar
  • CNET
  • GFQ Network

Headlines

• Flipboard is buying Zite from CNN

ReCode reports Flipboard is buying Zite from CNN, which acquired the tablet newsreader company in 2011. CNN reported its sources (itself?) said the deal is valued at $60 million, but CNN PR says the report valuation is not accurate. Guys, it’s really hard to keep secrets from yourself. Zite will apparently shut down and most of its 20 employees, with the exception of CEO Mark Johnson, will work for Flipboard. Flipboard has also agreed to produce custom magazines for CNN.

• Yahoo will soon stop allowing users to log in with Google or Facebook accounts

Engadget reports Yahoo will soon stop allowing users to log in with Google or Facebook accounts. Yahoo started allowing third-party logins in 2010. The change has already happened on Fantasy Sports sites and will eventually spread across all services, including Flickr and Tumblr. Happy Tumblr Day!

Submitted by LifeDownloaded and KAPT_Kipper

• Yahoo acquired Vizify, a company that lets users create infographics and video out of social media

CNET reports Yahoo acquired Vizify, a company that lets users create infographics and video out of social media. Vizify will shut down and the company will work to bring a more visual approach to data at Yahoo! We’ve all been wondering when that would happen.

• Facebook will crack down on illegal gun sales

Bloomberg BusinessWeek reports Facebook will crack down on illegal gun sales. The social network will delete posts where users indicate they would break the law. Private gun sale posters will be reminded to comply with the law. And pages related to gun sales will be required to include language regarding the importance of the law. Posts about illegal weapons are already banned, so the new effort focuses on emphasizing the importance of things like background checks.

• Former IGN chief Mark Jung is the new executive chairman of OnLive

VentureBeat reports former IGN chief Mark Jung is the new executive chairman of OnLive. He hit the ground running with two new services. CloudLift lets users log in on any devices to get their downloaded games from services like Steam. And OnLive Go lets users play online games like Second Life on mobile devices. Stop it. There are people who still play Second Life and they will send giant penises at you if you mock them.

• Dish Network won ALL of the wireless broadband airwave licenses recently auctioned off by the federal government

ReCode reports Dish Network won ALL of the wireless broadband airwave licenses recently auctioned off by the federal government. As we all know, the incumbent carriers in the U.S. have made no secret about the fact that there is a serious spectrum crunch, thus the need to exempt them from regulation. Dish won the 176 licenses because NOBODY ELSE BID.

• The Winklevoss twins are headed to space as part of Virgin Galactic’s program and they’re paying with Bitcoins, of course

The Winklevoss twins are headed to space as part of Virgin Galactic’s program and they’re paying with Bitcoins, of course. On the application form under vital statistics, Tyler Winklevoss wrote, “I’m 6’5″, 220, and there’s two of me.”

News From You

• MazaCoin is now the official currency of the seven bands that make up the Lakota Nation

Verge article about another crypto currency hitting the scene called MazaCoin. Before you roll your eyes ALL the way to the back of your head, MazaCoin is now the official currency of the seven bands that make up the Lakota Nation. MazaCoin was developed by an anonymous cryptographer as a new implementation of the Bitcoin protocol. The Lakota will keep half of MazaCoins in reserve to help prevent wild speculation.

Submitted by Mranthropology

• AMD is very excited about its new AM1 chipset, an SoC for desktops launching April 9. Because… desktops are hot still

Ars Technica story AMD is very excited about its new AM1 chipset, an SoC for desktops launching April 9. Because… desktops are hot still. Well, AMD might not be totally off the deep end here. The AM1 is meant for the still-selling low-cost desktops with a starting price of $60 for the chipset and motherboard combined. At that price, you can’t draw more than 25W and you’re restricted to PCIe 2.0. AMD’s pitting the AM1 against Intel’s Bay Trail platform.

Submitted by MikePKennedy

Discussion

• Roku Streaming Stick vs. Google Chromecast: How do they stack up?
• Superior streaming stick, slightly slow
• Google's $35 streamer inches on, not past Roku

Picks of the Day

• Mibbit

IRC client

• MyFitnessPal

Fitness and weight-loss app

Submitted by Big Jim

Links

• This episode on dailytechnewsshow.com
• patreon.com/acedtect
• subreddit

Preceded by: "BitCoin Joke Here"

Roku Gets the Stick

Followed by: "What’s up with the Doxxing?"