AT&T wants me to cancel them … They are daring me too …

At&t is daring me to cancel them. FIX IT!

In case you have been inside a cave the last several hours, img.4chan.org is being blocked for DSL customers. They say it is because of security reasons. I talked to their tech line for  one hour and 35 minutes and first spoke with Irwin, 1st level tech, then Felicia, 2nd level tech, then James, teamlead Richmond City, tx call center , then Charles, operations manager at a Calif. call center. Charles took down my information and told me someone would call me back tomorrow.

Maybe.  I tried to pin down Charles with the question, why if it is a security risk is At&t not blocking the site on my iphone? At&t dsl and uverse customers are effected. Uverse customers are being effected as well, thanks kfill!

Update 1: as of 1258 am, July 27th the ping comes back up spotty. it still times out but occational will show a reply. Did At&t buckle?

Update 2: As of 0830, July 27th ping still come up spotty. AT&T says it is because of DD0S attacks. So they had to “act”.

Update 3:  1202 pm, July 27th, The current news is that AT&T unblocks img.4chan.org.  However ping still times out and is spotty. WTF At&t?

Update 4: 1632, July 27th, 4chan finally comes up.  At&t came through, good job assholes. You have evaded me cancelling you for now … until I get my Sbhacker skills up.

AT&T Reportedly Blocks 4chan. This Is Going To Get Ugly.

by Jason Kincaid on July 26, 2009

As if AT&T wasn’t already bad enough. In an act that is sure to spark internet rebellions everywhere, AT&T has apparently declared war on the extremely popular imageboard 4chan.org, blocking some of the site’s most popular message boards, including /r9k/ and the infamous /b/. moot, who started 4chan and continues to run the site, has posted a note to the 4chan status blog indicating that AT&T is in fact filtering/blocking the site for many of its customers (we’re still trying to confirm from AT&T’s side).

Reports of the blocking began to surface on reddit this afternoon, and a number of blogsare beginning to pick up on the story, though it doesn’t seem like any have managed to get a comment from AT&T (we’ve reached out to the company and will update once we hear back).

4chan has been called many things, most of which aren’t particularly flattering. Some parts of the site are entirely unmoderated, leading to a wild-west, highly NSFW environment where irreverance, mischief, and lewdness thrive (I like to think of it as the Mos Eisley of the web). But that doesn’t mean the site isn’t extremely influential on web culture. Many of its exploits are famous, including taking over the Time 100 list, and it’s also where some of the Internet’s most famous memes got their start, including the Rick Roll and LOLcats. It’s also known as the main hub for Anonymous, a group that has held a very public campaign against Scientology.

In other words, AT&T has just opened perhaps the most vindictive, messy can of worms it could have possibly found. Blocking any site is an extreme breach of user trust, but the decision to block 4chan in particular just seems stupid. Expect the web equivalent of rioting if this doesn’t change soon.

Foxconn iPhone Worker Sun Danyong’s Final Messages – Iphone leak suicide – Gizmodo

Foxconn iPhone Worker Sun Danyong’s Final Messages – Iphone leak suicide – Gizmodo.

Chinese newspapers have been piecing together Foxconn worker Sun Danyong’s final hours, and claim to have recovered his final text message to his girlfriend, sent two hours before he died. It’s clear something horrible was happening to him:

“My dear, I’m sorry, go back home tomorrow, something has happened to me, please don’t tell my family, don’t contact me, this is the first time that I have ever begged you, please agree to that! I am so sorry!”

And in what is reportedly his final online chat—supposedly verified as authentic—Sun tells a friend he never stole the phone, and thinks it was swiped. He also again implies that he was tortured, or at least forcefully detained and interrogated with physical force, clearly contradicting what Foxconn’s security chief told a Chinese paper:

“Even at a police station, the law says force must never be used, much less in a corporate office. I was just a suspect, my dear head of security, so what reason and right do you have to confine me and use force?

If Foxconn is directly involved in his death, it and all of its executives could go bankrupt a million times over and that would still not even come to close to justice for Sun Danyong. [The New Yorker]

Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz sucks Bing’s little Bing, Hard – Ars Technica

Why is Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz suddenly saying good things about Bing? Maybe a Microhoo deal is closer than one would think.

By Emil Protalinski | Last updated July 23, 2009 3:44 PM CT

During Yahoo's second quarter conference call, CEO Carol Bartz was again asked what she thought about Bing. Curiously enough, she didn't give the typical PR statement one would expect. In fact, she went ahead and actually praised the competition: “I actually think Bing is a good product. I think they've done a good job, but unfortunately they are only a month into it. I think Microsoft should be given kudos for Bing.” The only other thing that could make hell freeze over faster is if such a statement came from Google.

Let's take a moment and compare this with Bartz's previous statement on Bing from June: “I don't know if Bing means a whole lot to Yahoo. I think people will go to Bing because they are curious. I think they will get some uplift, but people will keep their same habits.” It was then that she also made a point to say that Yahoo wasn't really interested in Microsoft.

So, what's changed? Either Bartz is genuinely impressed with the newly-launched decision engine, or the rumored search ad deal between Microsoft and Yahoo from last week is getting warmer. Bartz's statement would mean nothing on its own, but since she and Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer are trying to strike a deal, the quote is worth underlining. From what we've heard, the deal hasn't collapsed and the prospects are looking good, but nothing has been finalized yet. We'll know soon enough if an agreement between the two giants has been reached.

via Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz praises Bing – Ars Technica.

No more Win 7 RC.

Touch Revolution’s household Android devices coming this year — it’s Hammer time!

Touch Revolution’s household Android devices coming this year — it’s Hammer time!.

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jul 23rd 2009 at 8:58AM

When a former Apple product engineer mixes up some Google-juice with MC Hammer you’d be surprised at what you get. If you guessed a range of household Android devices sporting 4.3- to 10-inch touchscreens, WiFi, and Ethernet connectivity well, that would be weird… but you’d be right. Mark Hamblin, the founder and CEO of Touch Revolution who claims to have worked on the iPhone and iPod touch, breaks down the Touch Revolution product family into three major categories: 1) home control to manage lights, security, heating and ventilation, 2) media control for the TV, stereo, and DVR programming, and 3) home-based smartphones like the NIMble we played with at CES. The first Touch Revolution modules will launch later this year inside a range of devices that can be hand-held, placed on a tabletop, or even embedded in a wall. While not naming names, Hamblin says that the hardware and software will be customized and sold by “companies with major brands” before the end of the year in the “US and elsewhere.” As for Hammer, that’s hard to say — but we’d buy pretty much anything he’d like to officially endorse.

HTC adopting Android on 50% of its handsets in 2010?

via engadget

Uh oh Microsoft, this can’t be good news. HTC, the premier manufacturer of Windows Mobile handsets is rumored to be shifting half of its inventory to Google’s Android OS in 2010. To put this in perspective, HTC lists 28 devices listed on its European website and of those, just 2 run Android today. DigiTimes‘ sources claim that HTC is on track to make 30% of its 2009 handsets Android-based which means that several of Andy Rubin’s 15 to 20 Android handsets coming this year would have to be HTC branded for this to be true. DigiTimes also claims that HTC will launch a handset that’s simultaneously a “high-profile 3G handset” and “entry-level model” with touchscreen and TouchFlo 3D / Sense UI. HTC is said to achieve this seemingly contradictory feat by basing the handset on Qualcomm’s BREW Mobile Platform when it launches in September or October. Of course, none of this is confirmed, but will undoubtedly be a topic of discussion when HTC reports earnings on July 30th.

HTC adopting Android on 50% of its handsets in 2010?.

Fujifilm Busts Out Five New Cameras, Including a Prosumer Faux-DSLR – FujiFilm – Gizmodo

Fujifilm Busts Out Five New Cameras, Including a Prosumer Faux-DSLR – FujiFilm – Gizmodo.

Fujifilm Busts Out Five New Cameras, Including a Prosumer Faux-DSLR

By Dan Nosowitz, 1:00 AM on Wed Jul 22 2009, 1,162 views

Fujifilm today announced five new cameras at an array of prices, ranging from the $90, 10MP A170 to the “prosumer” DSLR-lite FinePix S200EXR (pictured) at $600. It’s a pretty solid lineup of low- to mid-end shooters.

From the bottom: The A170 and its 12MP brother, the A220, are the base models at only $90 and $100, respectively. Next is the 12.2MP FinePix J38 at $130, rounding out the low end of the lineup. The mid-range have a new focus on style, all being very thin and quite good-looking, with the FinePix F70EXR at $280 and the FinePix Z37 at $150. They’re probably all decent; Fuji has a fairly good track record with point-and-shoots, having been awarded a best buy by JD Power last year. But none of them are very interesting.

The FinePix S200EXR, on the other hand, is a bit of an odd bird. At $600, it’s at the same price as some very low-end DSLRs, but it’s not actually one itself, described instead as an “SLR-type” camera. Nevertheless, the 12MP camera has tons of features and a 14.3x lens and will shoot in RAW, and Fuji gloats that the lens and body are “perfectly aligned” instead of rammed in by your clumsy, Dorito’s-stained hands. Check out the full, exhaustive press release here >>>> [Fujifilm]

Fujifilm’s FinePix Real 3D W1 camera and Real 3D V1 picture viewer detailed, can do 3D movies as well

Fujifilm’s FinePix Real 3D W1 camera and Real 3D V1 picture viewer detailed, can do 3D movies as well

Not that it wasn’t official when Time featured it early last week,but now Fujifilm’s now rolled out the proverbial red carpet for its FinePix Real 3D W1 camera, with a press release providing more details about both it and the Real 3D V1 8-inch picture viewer. Some of more notable features on the W1 — aside from being the touted “world’s first 3D imagine system,” of course — is a 3x optical zoom, a 3D LCD system for on-camera viewing, Dual Capture Shooting Mode for taking two shots simultaneously with different settings, and just to be perfectly clear, the ability to shoot video in three mind-blowing dimensions. Additionally, the two lens can be used for some more creative, but decidedly old-fashioned 2D photography. As for the V1 display, it’s got a 3D / 2D LCD panel with 800 x 600 resolution, supports playback of 3D pics and movies, and supports SD / SDHC. No word on what the resolution / card support is for the camera, but for now we’re gonna guess it’s at parity with the frame. If you’re wanting physical 3D prints, Fujifilm says it’ll be providing that service, doing the prints in-house and send them your way. Actual printers for purchase will come once a sustainable market exists (assuming that happens). The W1 camera and V1 frame are listed with a September 2009 launch date, as we previously heard — price is curiously listed as TBA, but since Time already let slip a $600 estimate, take that as your ballpark estimate for the interim.

via Fujifilm’s FinePix Real 3D W1 camera and Real 3D V1 picture viewer detailed, can do 3D movies as well.

Sony Ericsson “Rachael” to launch as Xperia X3; specs revealed : Boy Genius Report

Sony Ericsson “Rachael” to launch as Xperia X3; specs revealed

Posted by Zach Epstein on Jul 21, 2009 12:51 pm30 Comments

Filed in Android, Handsets, Rumors, Sony Ericsson

Gotta love Expansys. The shameless online retailer known for posting pre-order availability of handsets well before any official announcement has struck again. This time around, Expansys has revealed that the oh-so-sexy Android-rocking Sony Ericsson Rachael will apparently be launched under the Xperia brand as the Xperia X3. Xperia X2? What Xperia X2? Hit the jump for the full specs as listed by Expansys:

Display:

4-inches, 800 x 400 pixels

Touch Sensitive

Network:

2G 850/900/1800/1900 (Quad-Band)

3G: 900/2100 (Dual-Band)

HSDPA (10Mbps)

HSUPA (2Mbps)

Camera:

8.1 megapixels (auto-focus)

8 x Digital Zoom

LED Flash

Image Stabilization

Smile Shutter

Face Detection

Video:

VGA Video Recording

Music:

Supported formats: MP3, AAC, eAAC+

Ringtones:

Monophonic

Polyphonic (64)

MP3

AAC

Messaging:

SMS

MMS (with video)

E-mail (POP3, SMTP, IMAP4, MS Exchange)

Memory:

Phone Book

Dialled Calls

Missed Calls

Received Calls

microSDHC (external)

Call Features:

Hands Free

Caller ID

Voice Dialing

Connectivity:

miniUSB

3.5mm AV connector

Bluetooth (2.1)

Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11g)

Navigation:

AGPS

All we have to say is this, Sony Ericsson: If you don’t drop a version with US 3G along side this Euro version, you’re officially dead to us. Officially.

[Via All About Phones]

via Sony Ericsson “Rachael” to launch as Xperia X3; specs revealed : Boy Genius Report.