Daily Bits

noemi

Netflix to Add More Films

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Movie enthusiasts will be happy to hear that they will be able to access more movies from Netflix soon. It’s not that the service has a shortage of choices. However, this move is necessary in order to remain at the head of the game. Internet streaming is definitely becoming the medium of choice for the average consumer, and Netflix is simply providing for the need.

How is Netflix going to manage this? They’ve struck a deal with Epix, a company that holds the rights to films from Lions Gate, MGM, and Paramount. This pretty deal is going to cost Netflix a hefty $900 million over the next five years, money that is sure to come rushing back to them.

What’s going to happen is that hit movies like “Iron Man” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” are soon going to be available for streaming. Netflix is offering a package that combines streaming access and DVD deliveries for only $8.99. If there are going to be a whole lot more big titles coming Netflix’s way, then customers just might be flocking to avail of their service more and more.

They’re not stopping here, though. It seems that they also have HBO (the main competitor of Epix) in sight. When this subject was brought up, Ted Sarandos (Netflix’s chief content officer) replied, “Every deal expires, and every deal has to be renewed.” Indeed. And, if they get the rights to HBO’s content, there really might be no stopping the company. As long as they’re offering reasonable packages, I don’t really see any problem.

Private Browsing Not So Private After All?

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How often do you use the private browsing capabilities of your chosen Internet browser? For one reason or another, I am sure that the average person will find this capability useful. While I am not going to prod as to why you would need to go incognito while browsing, you ought to know that there is supposed to be a flaw in the whole private browsing model.

Researchers from Stanford University and Carnegie-Mellon University have recently studied the private browsing model being used by major Internet browsers, and they say that it is not that foolproof; at least not as foolproof as we would like to believe. They released their findings in a paper titled An Analysis of Private Browsing Modes in Modern Browsers.

Their conclusions?

We analyzed private browsing modes in modern browsers and discussed their success at achieving the desired security goals. Our manual review and automated testing tool pointed out several weaknesses in existing implementations. The most severe violations enable a local attacker to completely defeat the benefits of private mode. In addition, we performed the first measurement study of private browsing usage in different browsers and on different sites. Finally, we examined the difficult issues of keeping browser extensions and plug-ins from undoing the goals of private browsing.

The next time you face the need to go incognito while browsing, make sure you take these things into consideration. Your best bet is to use your private computer and regularly take steps to ensure your security.

YouAndMeArePure: New Dating Site for Virgins

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In this day and age, many consider the subject of virginity to be outdated or preposterous. It is thus refreshing to hear about the new web site called YouAndMeArePure, which is dedicated to those who have managed to abstain from sex before marriage (whether by choice or due to circumstances, I have no idea). All sorts of dating web sites can be found online these days, why not one for virgins? (Check out the one for Apple geeks.) I know many of you are probably chuckling or shaking your heads in disbelief, but hey, each to his own!

So who came up with this idea? Husband and wife team Jose and Lety Colin decided to create the dating web site as they themselves met and got married when they were still, well, virgins. They believe that this plays an important role in their bonding as a couple, and they also believe that there are other people out there who hold the same belief.

If you think about it, they might not have such a big audience. Based on the press release of the web site, “current statistics show that about 30 percent of Americans say they have had one or no sex partners since turning 18.” Whether or not that is true, that’s not such a large figure.

Oh, the couple is not stopping at targeting the V-market (yeah, I made that up). They have a sister web site dubbed YouAndIAbstain.com, for people who are – well, you know what it’s about.

If this is your kind of thing, then check the web sites out. You never know what you will find. Then again, we know just how people can say/write anything online. Take the same precautions as you would on any other dating web site! 😉

Will Ferrell and Wired Tie Up

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The Apple iPad is one of the most sought after gadgets today – and no wonder. While it is small enough to be portable, it delivers only the most excellent graphics. That is why countless content providers have jumped into the fray, developing content for specifically for the iPad.

Wired.com is one such provider, but it seems that it has been having difficulty attracting enough subscribers for its iPad application. One factor is that a lot of the content offered in the paid version is also available in the web site for free.

Now, the provider is scrambling to get paid subscribers. As part of its efforts, Wired.com has created exclusive videos that can only be viewed via the iPad application. More so, it has employed the help of comedian Will Ferrell. While not everyone thinks Will Ferrell is funny (for the record, I think he is hilarious), this collaboration should serve to make the Wired iPad app more marketable.

Here’s a sampling of what is on offer.

Wired – Will Ferrell Short from Nick Bilton on Vimeo.

This is only the beginning for Wired.com’s expansion, though. In the near future, various content will be available for other gadgets such as the iPhone, tablet computers, Android phones, and the like. More so, by fall of this year, Wired.com is also planning on including social networking and sharing features.

Wired.com does provide interesting content, and the move to join forces with Will Ferrell just might be a good thing for them. Will this entice you to pay $5 for the app, though?

Adios, Google Wave! Is Buzz Next?

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All things come to an end, even the good ones; or maybe, most especially the good ones. For the longest time now, Google seems to have had a golden touch. It has reached such great heights, but even such a big entity makes wrong judgment calls every now and then. With Google Wave, it seems like one of those things.

Yesterday, an announcement on The Official Google Blog finally put an end to speculation about Google Wave. Launched around a year ago in June 2009, Google Wave generated tons of interest and excitement – not so different with many other Google products. The interest did not prove to be enough, though, and even the most hardcore fan has to say goodbye.

Here’s a snippet of the announcement:

But despite these wins, and numerous loyal fans, Wave has not seen the user adoption we would have liked. We don’t plan to continue developing Wave as a standalone product, but we will maintain the site at least through the end of the year and extend the technology for use in other Google projects. The central parts of the code, as well as the protocols that have driven many of Wave’s innovations, like drag-and-drop and character-by-character live typing, are already available as open source, so customers and partners can continue the innovation we began. In addition, we will work on tools so that users can easily “liberate” their content from Wave.

There’s good news at least – fans will have till the end of the year to use the site. Users will also have the tools to extract all the content they’ve put in there.

Now I am wondering…will Google Buzz suffer the same fate?

3 Android Games You Need to Have

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While we’re on the topic of Android phones, why don’t we take a look at some of the apps that are getting lots of people addicted as I write? While it’s true that iPhone apps are very addictive and that their graphics can be quite impressive, there are Android games out there that can keep you glued to your phone as well. Here are three of those games.

Bonsai Blast
There are many reasons this game is the first on the list. One, it’s free. Two, it’s completely addictive. It is just like Zuma in terms of graphics and gameplay. You’ll see marbles of different colors and blow them up by matching the patterns. Simple but you can spend hours playing the game.

Speed Forge 3D
This one costs $4.99, but people who’ve played it say it’s worth the small price you have to pay. It’s a racing game that is set in the future, in the Red Planet. The bored citizens have turned to racing for entertainment. Some users have likened the game to Wipeout. There are 6 tracks, 3 different vehicles, and weapons as well. The graphics are in full 3D.

Zenonia
Korean company Gamevil is the one behind this acclaimed mobile RPG. According to critics, the game’s richness of detail is nothing short of amazing. Wikipedia describes the game: Zenonia’s protagonist is Regret, a young man whose origins are initially unknown. His primary mission in the game is to find the reason for the death of his adoptive father at the hands of a demon and subsequently a more powerful evil that is at work.

If you haven’t gotten these games yet, what’s stopping you?