bbc

BBC survey: Net access is basic right

Four of every five adults believe access to the Internet is a fundamental right, and more than half believe it should never be regulated, according to a new survey.

In a BBC World Service poll of 27,000 adults in 26 countries, 78 percent of Internet users believed the Internet is a fundamental right--with particularly strong response in South Korea and China.

Nine in 10 adults said the Internet was a good place to learn.

Read more of "78% of adults believe Internet access a fundamental right; 50% want no regulation" at ZDNet's Between the Lines.

Hummer H1 and H2 on BBC's 'Top Gear'

Hummer has been fairly newsworthy lately as General Motors has announced its plans to discontinue the SUV line and sell it off to a Chinese machinery manufacturer, and lately I've been dedicating a few blogs to the Hummer as GM plans to pull the plug on the Hummer brand. And as you may know I've become quite the fan of the popular BBC TV program "Top Gear." So I thought we'd have a little more fun with the blog with today's video featuring sharp-tongued host Jeremy Clarkson taking a spin in not one but … Read more

Get 'Planet Earth' documentary series for $19.99

If you've never seen the BBC series "Planet Earth," do your eyes, brain, and sense of wonder a huge favor: watch it.

Better yet, own it. Today only, the Discovery Channel Store has "Planet Earth" on DVD for just $19.99.

Got a Blu-ray player? Get "Planet Earth" on Blu-ray for just $24.99--by far the lowest price I've seen.

Shipping will run you another $4 (choose "7-14 days" at checkout), but here's an added bonus: if you sign up to be on the store's mailing list (… Read more

Ferrari F430 Scuderia on BBC's 'Top Gear'

Most people who know me consider me to be quite sarcastic. It turns out, that's a trait I share with my favorite "snarky British dude" Jeremy Clarkson, who hosts the popular British TV program "Top Gear." The BBC show is dedicated to automobiles and racing but with a biting sense of humor to make things interesting. Well, between all the great European cars and the sometimes nasty commentary, it's no surprise that I've become quite a fan of the show.

This isn't the first time I've featured a "Top Gear&… Read more

Top Gear at the Britcar 24: The electrifying conclusion

Yesterday I posted up a video clip featuring the guys from the critically acclaimed BBC program Top Gear as they modify a simple streetcar BMW to get it ready for a 24-hour Britcar racing event. I figured since I got us all involved in this adventure, we might as well see the finale of this very amusing Top Gear episode.

Part 1 of this clip ended with Top Gear's Jeremy, James, Richard, and The Stig managing to qualify for the Britcar 24 Hour Challenge, but at the cost of their makeshift race vehicle. Part 2 begins with the diagnosis … Read more

Crappy Clunker Yugo Taken out by Tank!

As we've seen this week, some automobiles generally referred to as "lemons" or "clunkers" find new life as modified street racing cars or as nostalgia novelty acts. But some cars are so lame and unattractive that they're forever known as a joke vehicle. Probably the best example is presented here for you today in the form of the Yugo 45.

The Yugo is a crappy little compact that was foisted upon the American market from Europe, and was belittled so much in the States that in 1991 the Yugo couldn't even break 4,… Read more

BBC unearths functioning TV from 1936

I am currently writing this on my second MacBook Pro. I'm also waiting for a call on my third iPhone while watching "Star Trek" on my second HDTV from my third Xbox 360. Technology today seems to fizzle out or become redundant quickly. But it wasn't always like that.

In fact, the BBC recently tracked down a 73-year-old TV set that still works and is believed to be the oldest working television in Britain. It's tuned to but one built-in channel--the BBC, as it was the only channel available in England when the set was … Read more

Walkman vs. iPod

This is just a quick pointer to a hilarious post I ran across this morning: BBC Magazine invited 13-year-old Scott Campbell, to wear a vintage Sony Walkman for a day. He took the challenge seriously, and wrote up his impressions of the Walkman versus the modern equivalent.

Some choice excerpts:

"It took me three days to figure out that there was another side to the tape."

"I managed to create an impromptu shuffle feature simply by holding down 'rewind' and releasing it randomly."

"I'm relieved that the majority of technological advancement happened before I … Read more

Q&A: Behind the BBC's iPlayer

During peak hours, BBC iPlayer pumps out 12GB of data every second, and 7 petabytes of data every month. It is insanely popular on Apple's iPhone--but mostly after midnight--and the next version of iPlayer will land this year with some exciting new features.

These are just some of the fascinating facts revealed by iPlayer boss Anthony Rose, in an exclusive one-on-one interview with sister site CNET UK.

Rose's official job title is controller, vision and online media group, and he heads up many of the BBC's Internet activities, including the BBC home page and the site's … Read more