For the Record Podcast- Page 2

App.net: 'Plumbing' for social apps, not Twitter rival (podcast)

App.net founder Dalton Caldwell was impressed by Twitter in its "early days" when third-party developers were using it as a platform to "build really strange and amazing software, which is not what the people at Twitter necessarily intended." At that point, said Caldwell, "they had an open platform and you could build any kind of business on it in."

But, he added, "there's been a number of business moves made by Twitter to restrict third-party access to the data and discourage third-party clients being built." He said Twitter's "… Read more

Your iPhone may be worth more than you think (podcast)

I was fascinated by Marguerite Reardon's recent Ask Maggie post about selling your old iPhone because -- like lots of people -- I bought an iPhone 4S last fall, which means that I'll still be under contract if and when the new iPhone comes out next month. I say "if," but Apple is widely expected to announce a new iPhone on Sept. 12, and if the past is any indication, I'm sure I'm going to want one. Maggie did a good job describing the issue in her post, but I had some more questions, … Read more

MetaCert aims to block porn throughout the home (podcast)

There are lots of tools out there to help parents keep their kids away from what's typically considered inappropriate online content. Most, however, run on PCs and Macs, which means all bets are off if, for instance, a child surfs via a smartphone or a tablet.

MetaCert has a different idea. It's now beta-testing a server-based porn filter parents can set up to automatically block access to pornographic sites across their entire home network. It does so by hosting the filter on a DNS, or domain-name system, server -- effectively pushing the filter from individual computers into the … Read more

Trend Micro VP: Everyone helped avert DNSChanger disaster

As far as I can tell, the impact of the FBI pulling the plug on the servers set up to provide temporary domain-name service to computers infected by the DNSChanger malware was pretty low.

Johannes Ullrich, chief research officer at the SANS Institute told CNET's Elinor Mills that "we haven't seen a single report" of someone losing Internet access." He called the issue "hype." But Trend Micro Vice President Tom Kellerman says a concerted effort of law enforcement, Internet service providers and security companies successfully warned consumers to fix infected computers before the … Read more

Google VP maps out new Google Earth 3D tech

Although there were no announcements about any upcoming versions of Google Maps for iOS, Google did show off some impressive 3D technology to make Google Earth feel more like you're touring over cities in a low-flying plane. In fact, the company is using a fleet of planes to "collect 45 degree imagery, flying with the four cardinal compass points at 45 degrees combined with straight down," according to Google VP of Engineering Brian McClendon.

You can listen to my four minute interview with McClendon by clicking below.

Listen Now: Download Today's Podcast Subscribe now: iTunes (audio) | … Read more

'Heckerty' stories come to life on tablets, phones (podcast)

Heckerty, a 409-year-old green-faced witch, can't seem to get anything right, but fortunately she has a loyal cat named Zanzibar who comes to her rescue. The iOS and Android app, Meet Heckerty, is based on a series of stories by Anne Rachlin. They are narrated by Rachlin's daughter Jan Ziff. Ziff, whose daily radio show Sound*Bytes is heard on CBS Radio News stations, is a longtime broadcast journalist with stints at the BBC and Voice of America (Disclosure: CBS Radio News is owned by CNET's parent company CBS and I also broadcast for CBS News).

There … Read more

Zillow launches Android app for rentals (podcast)

If you've ever been curious about the price of a particular house in America, chances are you've been to Zillow.com. That's the site that lets you type in an address to find out its estimated sale price (called a "Zestimate") along with details about the house and, in most cases, the exact date and price it last sold for as well as information about property taxes, nearby schools, and neighboring homes.

In addition to sale prices, the company also estimates rental prices and displays rentals in your area.

Having all this on the Web … Read more

Luminate lets users create interactive images (podcast)

Luminate announced Thursday the launch of a "Image App Store" where Web publishers can obtain free apps to add to their sites that can turn static images into interactive ones. The idea is to allow users to mouse over a portion of an image to take some type of action such as accessing a news story related to the image, viewing a Twitter feed, looking up something about the image in Wikipedia, or perhaps purchasing something shown in the image such as jewelry worn by a celebrity or a model It's even possible to Tweet the image … Read more

California AG Kamala Harris on app privacy deal (podcast)

California Attorney General Kamala Harris announced a mobile app privacy agreement today with Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Hewlett-Packard, and Research In Motion.

The agreement with the companies whose platforms and app stores collectively dominate the mobile app universe, is designed to bring the mobile app industry into compliance with California's existing law that requires companies that collect personal information to have a published privacy policy.

The announcement comes in the wake of several reports of companies uploading user data, sometimes without informing the user or getting permission.

Last week the Federal Trade Commission released a report titled "Mobile … Read more

iBike helps iPad, iPhone Touch users get in better shape (CES podcast)

The North Hall at CES was the home to numerous fitness technology companies including Velocomp, the maker of the iBike line of cycling computers. The newest product, iBike Power House for iPhone and iPod Touch is billed as "the worldl's first intelligent cycling computer that automatically adjusts to your exercise goals."

The product, which consists of a water and shock resistant case for the iPhone/iTouch, has electronics that perform cycling measurements, including power exertion.

Cycling computers, said Velocomp CEO John Harmon "have always been about numbers. "How far, how fast, what's my heart … Read more