Schneier on the DMCA and IoT

"For the Internet of Things to provide any value, what we need is a world that looks like the automotive industry, where you can go to a store and buy replacement parts made by a wide variety of different manufacturers. Instead, the Internet of Things is on track to become a battleground of competing standards, as companies try to build monopolies by locking each other out."

Amazon Cloud Drive

Unlimited storage for 1 year for $10 using Amazon's Cloud Drive. I've not used the Amazon cloud. Does anyone have any experience with it? OneDrive/Office365 and Dropbox are $70 and $80 respectively for 1 year and 1 TB. (With Office 365, you do get to use Office during that same time frame, so not exactly apples to apples.)

Comcast DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit Class Modem

Comcast announces DOCSIS 3.1 Gigabit go-live:

"The next-generation technology that will deliver gigabit Internet speeds moved from the laboratory to the living room late last month when we installed what we believe to be the world’s first DOCSIS 3.1 modem on a customer-facing network." 

"The next-generation technology that will deliver gigabit Internet speeds moved from the laboratory to the living room late last month when we installed what we believe to be the world’s first DOCSIS 3.1 modem on a customer-facing network." 

"The beauty of DOCSIS 3.1 is that it is backwards compatible, so no digging up streets or backyards. This technology, when combined with the extensive upgrades we have already completed on our advanced Hybrid Fiber-Coaxial network, will provide more gigabit choices for our customers."

While I'd love to have more bandwidth, I don't really need it. If this helps them hold down their costs AND they pass the savings on to me, then I'd be really excited. (And savings could mean no rate increases.)

Via Business Insider

Xiegu X5105

Looks like Xiegu is working on a new model. (Info via the X108 Yahoo Group and the Xiegu X108G & X5105 Facebook page.)

X5105 is a highly portable transmitter receiver working at HF+6m band, with a built-in power output of 5W.

Technical features: double-conversion superheterodyne, fitted with up to 3 lithium batteries of 18,650mAh each.

Expandability
l A standard main unit (embedded with one 8-pole 2.7k-SSB crystal filter)
l An optional high stability, high precision TCXO module
l An optional 500Hz narrow band crystal filter
l An optional plug-in 5W antenna tuner module

Specifications
Antenna impedance 50Ω (BNC)
Modes SSB/CW/AM/FM/FSK
Channels 120

Amateur Radio Weekly Top 10 of 2015

Cale, K4HCK, compiled a list of the top 10 most popular links from his Amateur Radio Weekly newsletter. 

This post topped his chart at #1.

I just hope there is some big check that goes along with topping the chart.

Pelican 1400 Case for $50 - Lightning Sale

Need to build a go-box? Grab the Pelican 1400 Case for $50 during this Amazon deal - about 14 hours left at the time of this post.

Via Reddit

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!

Library Internet Access

I'd like to check-out the internet, please. Libraries are going beyond providing internet access at their buildings by loaning hot-spots.

Nixie Drone

Nixie - a wearable drone.

T-Mobile and Binge-On

No surprise - there is no free lunch. The T-Mobile Binge-On service drops video to 480p.

TYT TH-7800: Details at BuyTwoRadios.com

BuyTwoRadios has lots of good info on the TYT TH-7800 ($199):

"Compared to other dual band amateur mobiles such as the Wouxun KG-UV920P-A, the TYT Th-7800 appears to be a simple radio. In some ways it seems oddly reminiscent of a mobile Yaesu, and when we showed it at several local hamfests, hams who give it a first look agreed. This may be due, at least in part, to a chassis with rounded edges and the orange backlit detachable display. While it isn't outwardly flashy, there seems to be a lot of functionality packed inside.

The TH-7800 is, indeed, a dual band mobile two way radio. Like many other amateur mobiles in its class, it transmits on the 2 meter VHF (136-174MHz) and 70cm UHF (400-480MHz) bands. With 40 watts on UHF and 50 watts on VHF, the 7800 seems to have the TX on these two bands adequately covered.

Reception is a bit broader. it receives wide band AM and FM on 108-180MHz, 134-174MHz and 350-520MHz. It supports 800 memory channels (809 to be more precise, according to the manual) and allows settings to be configured independently for each individual channel."

More at the first link above.

More Cord Cutting

First, people were dropping cable TV. Now, they are dropping home internet service. I stand by my crazy suggestions to keep customers.

Scripting for the Win

When you’re a coder, you code things to happen automatically so you don’t have to do them again and again manually. pic.twitter.com/PgtIgyb8zs

— Charles Arthur (@charlesarthur) December 15, 2015

QYT KT-UV980: $99.99

409Shop is having a sale on the QYT KT-UV980 for $99.99. It normally runs $150 on their site. The description says it is a dual band 30W UHF and 40W VHF - the full specifications reveal that it only runs at full power. (Also, no Windows 7 support.)

Baofeng UV-5R: Lightning Deal

Baofeng UV-5R for $31 (Free Ship) as an Amazon Lightning Deal - only about an hour left.

Via Hank Curmudgeon on the Baofeng Amateur Radio Network (BARN) on Facebook

Knoxville - Cultural Center of the World

Just one more reason Knoxville is so great...

American Cornhole announces its World Championship will once again take place in Knoxville, TN in last week of July pic.twitter.com/6bUfTM9Os0

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 18, 2015

3D Printed Dipole Insulator

#3dprinting dipole center insulator is ready for test... pic.twitter.com/AvXX6nOHjt

— Ondrej Kolonicny (@ok1cdj) December 16, 2015

Hate Prison

And OneDrive is Deer Vino. Explains a lot.

RT @HanSoloMio: @SwiftOnSecurity Hate Prison is an anagram for SharePoint… just sayin’ <<ha! #notcoincidence ;)

— Amy Renee (@amyengineer) December 15, 2015

Lightsaber Battle in Chrome

Very cool!

Wield your lightsaber to escape the First Order in this #ChromeExperiment: https://t.co/D7vpCk6qzG #lightsaberescape pic.twitter.com/QDSpM3QSi2

— Google Chrome (@googlechrome) December 15, 2015

Cord Cutting Accelerates

People are dumping cable faster than ever. How can cable companies stop the decline?

I have a crazy idea - charge less and improve service.