The 404 701- Where Justin cancels his flight back to San Francisco (podcast)

The 404 701: Where Justin cancels his flight back to San Francisco (podcast)
Speaking of things that are harmful to your health, a new report co-authored by former government chief drugs adviser David Nutt suggests that alcohol is more harmful than heroin. Professor Nutt judged 20 drugs on 16 degrees of harm that include lasting effects on physical and mental health, social harms including crime, and environmental damage, and alcohol is the most prevalent on this chart, topping other substances like ecstasy, LSD, mushrooms, crack, and methylamphetamines.The results likely have more to do with alcohol being the only legal drug on the list, and cannabis surprisingly ranks fairly high on the list as well, just two under nicotine.We all know cigarettes are lethal carcinogens, but a new company called Blu Cigs is manufacturing electronic cigarettes aimed at users who want to "smoke" tobacco without the addictive nicotine element.We're obviously not condoning use of this product, but the tech angle on the device itself is interesting because they use battery-operated atomizers to warm up capsules of flavored liquid that then produce vapor you can inhale, making them technically "legal" to use in non-smoking areas, like on an airplane. Be sure to watch this segment's video to see an actual e-cigarette in action!After we hit the break (and a small audio hiccup afterward), we have two jaw-dropping video voicemails queued up: the first is from our own Jeff Bakalar, who recorded a video of him and his new wife Stacie at some dreadful resort in who knows where, and the second is a relatively straightforward voicemail from "BMGreatness" that also features a disturbing prop. Check it out, and keep sending your video voicemails to the404(at)cnet.com! Even in paradise, Jeff is still Jeff.BMGreatness: Please call back and verify the owner of that thingie. Episode 701PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) |Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video  Follow us on Twitter!The 404Jeff BakalarJustin YuWilson TangAdd us on Facebook!The 404 Fan PageThe 404 GroupJustin YuJeff BakalarWilson Tang


On Call- Yet another iPhone wish list

On Call: Yet another iPhone wish list
Hello, iPhone fans. We know that you're tingling with excitement at what Wednesday's Apple event will bring. Sure, the elusive tablet should grab the spotlight, but the iPhone may show its face during the infamous "one more thing" portion of the program. Will it be a new OS or will we get a whole new iPhone? Or maybe, just maybe, the iPhone will finally free itself of its AT&T shackles.Unfortunately, we don't know what will happen until CEO Steve Jobs (we figure he wouldn't pass up this opportunity) takes the stage. And since plenty of speculation abounds, we couldn't pass up an opportunity to say what we'd like to see. After you've read our wish list, be sure to add your own in the comments.File managementWe need a way to better organize apps and files on the phone. Heck, even home screen folders like we get with Google Android would be nice. Even better, just give us an integrated file manager that's not an app.FM radioYes, we know this is highly unlikely, but this is a wish list.User-replaceable batteryThis is unlikely, too, but we still don't like the idea of paying Apple to replace the battery and having to go without a phone during the process.MultitaskingApple proudly boasts that there's an "app for that," but with so many apps available, the iPhone needs to be able to run more than one simultaneously. The need is even more apparent now, as Palm WebOS and Android devices show us how it's done.USB mass storage and file transferiTunes is great and we know that Apple likes to control the experience, but we should be able to transfer all files of our choice. Flash support for the Web browserAt the iPhone 3.0 announcement last March, an Apple exec hinted we might get this in the future. Hopefully, it will come tomorrow.TetheringWe've been hearing about this for a while, as well. The functionality is there, but AT&T has to get around to supporting it.A mark-as-read optionThis would come in very handy when scrolling through a long list of new e-mails.MultitouchWe love our multitouch, so why not expand it across more applications?Outlook syncing for tasksThis is a relatively minor point, but it would be nice.A Verizon iPhoneWe'd accept T-Mobile, too, but Verizon would really make it interesting.


Filemaker serves snack-size database for Leopard

Filemaker serves snack-size database for Leopard
Like the Japanese lunch box for which it's named, Bento appears to be a tidy organizer. Sorting and searching options look elegant. The software could serve a variety of purposes, such as tracking freelance work gigs, sending party invitations, plotting an exercise regime, cataloging household items, creating libraries of possessions, and even rating stores where you shop or children you might teach.When you open Bento for the first time, appointments from iCal and contacts from Address Book will flow automatically into the program while also streaming to connected iPhones and .Mac accounts. More than 20 templates and drag-and-drop data fields serve users who don't wish to grapple with the ins and outs of managing a relational database.Data from Bento can be saved for export as either CSV text, or in the Microsoft Excel or iWork Numbers formats. Judging by a demo with Filemaker several weeks ago, Bento's minimal interface should look familiar to Mac fans.Macs haven't quite been known as the computer of choice for those looking to wrangle data with spreadsheets and databases. Apple iWork '08 just added the Numbers spreadsheet application, and the package still does not include database software.For Windows, by contrast, Microsoft Office offers the complex Access database tool. But unlike Access, a heavy-duty research tool, Bento is built to manage the components of your life the way you'd juggle an iTunes library.Bento's ticket price is $20 less than Filemaker's original plan to charge $69, but I wonder how many users will bite. iLife and iWork, after all, each cost just $79 for three or more applications per bundle. Plus, Leopard is the only operating system friendly to Bento. Still, Bento looked neat to me, and I'll give it a spin to see how well it can organize my sloppy stockpiles of digital data.Bento enables users to add scores to database items.Filemaker


FIFA bans Beats headphones from World Cup matches

FIFA bans Beats headphones from World Cup matches
Beats headphones are causing something of a kerfuffle at the World Cup in Brazil. After several top soccer stars, including Brazilian sensation Neymar, have been spotted wearing the chunky, brightly colored headphones, FIFA, the game's governing body, has banned the headgear from inside the stadiums, according to Reuters.Why? Because Beats is not an official sponsor of the games -- Sony is.While it may seem that FIFA is being a bit harsh on the headphones that soccer players prefer to don, it appears this isn't the first time that Beats has caused a stir at a world sporting event.Related storiesBeats advertises Apple (surprise)Apple finally confirms it's buying Beats for $3BiTunes head Cue and Beats' Iovine: Apple will put Beats on steroidsDuring the London Olympics last summer, Beats sent thousands of free headphones to the world's top athletes, according to Reuters. The International Olympic Committee, with its rules to protect official sponsors, had to ban the earphones since Beats wasn't a sponsor. Also, Olympic athletes are forbidden from wearing gear from their personal sponsors -- the same goes for World Cup players.It's unclear if Beats gave Neymar his headphones for free or if the soccer star bought them. It seems most likely the headphone company gave them to Neymar, considering the fact he starred in a Beats YouTube ad earlier this month titled "The Game Before the Game." CNET contacted Beats for comment, and we'll update the story when we get more information.Beats was acquired by Apple for $3 billion last month. During the acquisition Apple said that Beats has "become the brand of choice in the music and sports worlds" and "has quickly become part of pop culture."


Sharp- Our iPhone 5 display production is 'adequate'

Sharp: Our iPhone 5 display production is 'adequate'
Sharp says that concerns over its iPhone 5 display production are overblown.A company executive told Reuters in an interview published today that Sharp is producing "adequate volumes" of the iPhone 5's screen. According to Reuters, the unidentified person didn't say how many displays are being produced, but the reassurance seems to indicate things are better than thought.Related stories2009 PC shipments inch into positive territoryMicrosoft brings kids developer tool to the PCApple's Mac shipments up 23.3 percent in the U.S.Reports: Tech recovery driven by developing nations, cloudAT&T to sell Moto Backflip March 7?Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Apple might be suffering from an iPhone 5 supply shortfall due to its display's in-cell touch sensing. Unlike the iPhone 4S, which came with a display and a separate touch screen, Apple's iPhone 5 combines the two layers. That has resulted in better color representation, but also presents new challenges for suppliers.Among Apple's suppliers, Sharp was reportedly facing the biggest troubles and didn't start shipping its screens until the smartphone's debut.Despite that, Apple's iPhone 5 had a strong first weekend, selling through 5 million units in its first three days of availability. Last year, the iPhone 4S tallied sales of 4 million units during its first weekend of availability.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play


Second iOS 6 beta given to developers

Second iOS 6 beta given to developers
Apple has given developers an updated version of its iOS 6 software ahead of a public release later this year.It's the first such update to the software, which Apple provided to developers in beta form, at its annual developers conference earlier this month. Several more betas are expected ahead of a release to the general public, which Apple said will come in the fall.Apple-centric blog 9to5mac has posted screenshots and a full change log of the update, which weighs in at 299MB for the iPhone 4S, 322MB for the iPhone 4, and 497MB for the third-generation iPad. No new features have been found, short of spinning gears within the over the air update settings menu, something Apple added as part of iOS 5 last year. Apple went through seven beta versions ahead of the release of iOS 5, which came last October. During that process bugs were squashed, alongside the addition of a few new features like Wi-Fi sync, location privacy menus, over the air updating, a Hearing Aid Mode, and the scrubbing of Unique Device Identifiers.According to Apple, iOS 6 adds some 200 new features to iOS 5. Many of the main ones are simply refinements of existing features, such as FaceTime calling over 3G, more information about movies, restaurants and sports scores in Siri, and extended photo sharing features in Apple's Photo Streams feature. However there are a handful of new things, not the least of which is a completely new Maps application, as well as Passbook, Apple's new digital wallet service. Here's a video of the new gear spinning animation, which hopefully is not on the aforementioned list of new features:


Sapphire shines when it comes to protecting future iPhones

Sapphire shines when it comes to protecting future iPhones
Apple seems to have big plans for sapphire with the latest clue coming from a freshly-published patent filing.Published on Thursday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, a patent application dubbed simply "Attachment Techniques" describes ways to securely attach sapphire to an iPhone. Apple has already used sapphire for the lens cover on the iPhone 5 and the surface of the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S. But the company wants to expand its use, at least as envisioned in the patent filing.As one example, sapphire could be used as a cover to better protect the screen of the iPhone. CNET's own Jessica Dolcourt tested an iPhone with a sapphire cover and found it more durable and scratch-resistant than the Gorilla Glass currently used. Of course, Gorilla Glass-maker Corning argues that its product is still the better of the two, at least when it comes to mobile phones.Further, sapphire makes a good thermal conductor, comparable to metals, and could be attached to a processor to dissipate heat.Sapphire is clearly on Apple's mind. Last November, the company signed a deal with sapphire producer GT Advanced Technologies to create the material for its device lineup. Another patent application published last November described plans to further incorporate sapphire into Apple's products.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play(Via AppleInsider)


Samsung's next Galaxy smartphones to feature 64-bit chips, too

Samsung's next Galaxy smartphones to feature 64-bit chips, too
Apple might have been the first major smartphone maker to deliver 64-bit architecture in its smartphone's processor, but Samsung doesn't intend to be too far behind.Speaking to Korea Times in an interview published Wednesday, Samsung Mobile co-CEO Shin Jong-kyun said that the next-generation Galaxy smartphones will come with 64-bit processors. Shin didn't say exactly when the Samsung handsets will come with 64-bit architecture, saying only that it will not happen "in the shortest time."Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)Samsung's diva actKodak patent complaints target Apple, RIM3D TV FAQVerizon Wireless revamps unlimited calling, data plansApple announced its iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S on Tuesday. The company's 5C handset is essentially an updated iPhone 5 that features a plastic finish and multiple colors. The iPhone 5S comes with Apple's new A7 processor featuring the 64-bit architecture. The higher-end capability should make Apple's iPhone 5S more adept at handling resource-intensive applications that can take advantage of the new chip.Samsung and Apple have been competing intensely for years now, so it's no surprise Samsung is looking to match the iPhone maker on this point. Shin didn't say what other features might come to the next-generation Galaxy handsets, but he did quickly turn his attention to China and Japan, where he says, Apple is trying hard to steal market share."Samsung understands that Apple intends to boost its mobile business in China, as well as in Japan, meaning that we should try harder in these countries," Shin told Korea Times.See also: The real reasons Apple's 64-bit A7 chip makes sense


Samsung, Apple tablet tit for tat to extend to displays

Samsung, Apple tablet tit for tat to extend to displays
Samsung could beat Apple to market with a tablet packing a high-resolution display, as the two bitter rivals vie to be the first on the block with a next-gen tablet. Sammy's tab, running Google's Ice Cream Sandwich, would have an 11.6-inch display that is "barely" larger than a 10.1-inch design because of a redesigned bezel, according to a report at BGR. But most importantly, it would use an eye-popping 2,560x1,600-pixel resolution display, putting it in the same league as Apple's upcoming iPad 3, which is expected to sport a Retina Display. Needless to say, that makes for a radically different product.Not that different, say, than moving from a laptop with a 1,366x768-pixel screen to one boasting 1,680x1,050-pixel resolution.And if Samsung gets to market first, that would be a unique competitive advantage, the draw of the Apple brand notwithstanding.Related storiesAustralia court lifts ban on Galaxy Tab salesIn Apple win, Samsung Galaxy Tab blocked in EUSamsung has been quite transparent about its plans, actually.In a press release last month, the Korean company said that its next-generation 2GHz Exynos processor is designed specifically to drive high-resolution tablet displays. "The Exynos 5250 is designed specifically for high-end tablets...In particular, the Exynos 5250 design was architected to drive up to an industry-leading 2,560x1,600 (WQXGA) display," Samsung said.And Samsung, by the way, makes those high-res displays, too. All of this should become clearer at either CES 2012 in January or at Mobile World Congress in February.