42km ski Marathon in Engadin
My brother finished the 42km ski marathon in Engadin in Switzerland on March 12 2006 [link] [Engadin link]. Conditions were harsh. The temperature was minus 20 degreed Celsius and he had a 60km/hour headwind.
Result: 5 hours – 26 minutes 51 seconds
Behind on winner: 2 hours 53 minutes 29 seconds
Avage speed: 7,7km/hours
I am more of the type who goes downhill and up the hill in a chairlift.
Google on board
Engadget is reporting that VW is incorporating Google satellite in their next generation navigation solutions [link].
Now Engadget is reporting that Honda is adding Google Earth to thei navigation systems [link].
Althought I think it is cool I’m also afraid that the US government is going to ask Google where you have been (as you are using Google).
Oooops Nokia
A DRM perfect world
I’ve been writing about the French and their approach about DRM. They are introducing regulation which will open up the issue around Digital Right Management used by different suppliers.
I have nothing against the French, I have nothing against DRM and I have nothing against Apple. But what I don’t like is being locked in by one supplier.
Apple has the market on online music sales with their iTunes and is expanding it into the video market as well. I don’t own Apple equipment and I am not going to buy it just because it enables me to buy from their website.
I want an open DRM model which enables me to play my music and video on any device from any brand I happen to own. Maybe the French initiative will help me.
Crack in the DRM Firewall??
France has approved the draft law which will force Apple and Microsoft to open up their DRM protection.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/21/france_drm_interop/
Let’s see what the consequences will be.
First cracks showing in proprietary iTunes systems
Betanews reports about a possible break which could force Apple to open up its proprietary iTunes DRM model [link betanews]. iTunes is one of the most popular models for buying music on line. The biggest problem with the model is that Apple has made sure that music bought on iTunes can only be played on Apple equipment. With the recent introduction of all kind of home media equipment around the iPod, Apple has been trying to extend that lock in.
With the French move it could be that we can finally see Apple, but also Microsoft and the whole Music industry, be forced to use ‘open standard’ and to allow users who bought music to use it on any equipment they own. So playing your music on your PC, MP3 player, CD player, Car Stereo, etc.
Benjamen Walker is podcasting again!
In January I wrote that Benjamen Walker was missing [link]. He has a blog and radio program which you can listen too as a podcast [wikipedia podcast]. A lot of comments came in on this blog and it seemed that more people were worried about his wellbeing.
He has surfaced again and new programs are available on his site http://toeradio.org. The only problem I have is that since he has moved his feeds to the NPR alt.npr offering we only get excerpt of his program. They use to be 29 minutes, now it cut short to something like 14 minutes.
This is like drinking Diet Coke instead of the real stuff. I want the whole program!
On holiday
The fire of your local economy is your Energy producers
Link: BBC News website.
The French government has decided to change the laws that prevent the merger of two major French energy producers; Suez and Gaz de France. The French government will have a large say in this new company. The Italian energy producer Enel has recently expressed interest in a merger with Suez. It is a well known fact that the French hold to opinion that it is in the interest of the French economy if the Energy sector remains in French hands. The fire of your economy is your energy producer. An opinion which is also held by other countries like; USA, China, Russia, Italy, Spain, Germany, …
Conclusion is that this can only be seen as an protectionist move. The question is what the European Union is going to say about this. I think Nellie Smit won’t be pleased!
Recently the Dutch government decided to change the structure of the Dutch energy market. It was decided to split up the current structure in which the producers are also owner of the grid. They decided to put the network in Government hands and flush the energy producers onto the ‘free’ market. A move which is inline with the wish of the European Union to open up the energy market. The Dutch energy producers protested against this move as stripping them of their network would lower their net-value dramatically and make them vulnerable for hostile takeovers.
Experts warned the Government that this would mean that the bigger energy producers in the market would buy the Dutch producers and the Netherlands would loose its independance in that market area. A scary idea if you look how a Russian company like Gasprom is using their monopoly position to pressure their customers.
Other experts said that big takeovers would not happen soon, and if it happened it would be good for the shareholders.
I guess this means that within three years the energy sector of the Netherlands will be sold to France and Russia and the rest of Europe will have implemented protective measures to keep the energy sector in their own hands.
Microsoft’s Origami
link: Geekpedia News.
Some hoepla about a new device by Microsoft. It looks like an A5 tablet PC if you ask me. Take a look at the pictures.
This is the snippet tool you can also get on the Tablet PC.
Dilbert’s methode to help others with their computer “problems”
link: Dilbert site.
