Thursday, May 14, 2009
VPN Service
The Pirate Bay is planning to launch a paid VPN service for users looking to cover their tracks when torrenting. The new service will be called IPREDator, named after the Swedish Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement Directive (IPRED) that will go into effect in April. IPREDator is currently in private beta and is expected to go public next week for €5 per month.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Web Radio FM ReBroadcaster
Small device with one of: ethernet, wifi, USB.
Device boots and logs on then plays whatever music streaming stations have been set up: pandora, rhapsody, last.fm, etc.
Device uses low-power FM to broadcast whatever is streaming so people can listen via their existing stereo gear.
Device programmable from computer when plugged in to USB or network. So device should do DHCP to get on network.
Device will have no buttons nor display. Possibly could have on/off switch, network activity LED, broadcasting LED. Also possibly a button to cycle through pre-programmed profiles (effectively changing the streamed content).
Make money on the hardware. Make it "open" so others can modify and upgrade the firmware.
This should be much cheaper than the all-in-one boxes for $150+. $200 wifi radio.
This FM transmitter is $70.
This transmitter with a multitude of adapters is $99.
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Add-on subscription (or free for one year, or supported some other way) service to manage the device online from a web page. Allow "channel" change and subscribing to data feeds that will be read over the radio. A full-scale daily programming set up by the person.
For example, stock market data every 15 mins, music from some channel the other times, alerts read out for certain things (stock price changes...), weather in the morning on the hour...
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Costco is selling "Creative Labs Sound Blaster SB1170 Wireless System for iTunes Transmitter & Receiver" for $199.99. Includes USB stick with antenna, and receiver with speaker. Streams " iTunes music, Windows Media, Internet Radio or any audio from your PC".
Device boots and logs on then plays whatever music streaming stations have been set up: pandora, rhapsody, last.fm, etc.
Device uses low-power FM to broadcast whatever is streaming so people can listen via their existing stereo gear.
Device programmable from computer when plugged in to USB or network. So device should do DHCP to get on network.
Device will have no buttons nor display. Possibly could have on/off switch, network activity LED, broadcasting LED. Also possibly a button to cycle through pre-programmed profiles (effectively changing the streamed content).
Make money on the hardware. Make it "open" so others can modify and upgrade the firmware.
This should be much cheaper than the all-in-one boxes for $150+. $200 wifi radio.
This FM transmitter is $70.
This transmitter with a multitude of adapters is $99.
------------------------------------
Add-on subscription (or free for one year, or supported some other way) service to manage the device online from a web page. Allow "channel" change and subscribing to data feeds that will be read over the radio. A full-scale daily programming set up by the person.
For example, stock market data every 15 mins, music from some channel the other times, alerts read out for certain things (stock price changes...), weather in the morning on the hour...
------------------------------------
Costco is selling "Creative Labs Sound Blaster SB1170 Wireless System for iTunes Transmitter & Receiver" for $199.99. Includes USB stick with antenna, and receiver with speaker. Streams " iTunes music, Windows Media, Internet Radio or any audio from your PC".
Saturday, May 02, 2009
US Mint Authorized Dealer
Due to the spreads on eagle coins and the rationing of supply from the US Mint, being able to buy at US Mint prices is a license to print money at no risk.
http://usmint.gov/consumer/index.cfm?action=AmericanEagles
Be an experienced and established market-maker in gold/platinum and/or silver bullion coins.
Provide a liquid two-way market for the coins.
Be audited annually by an internationally-accepted accounted firm.
Have an established broad base of retail customer base in which to distribute the coins.
Have a tangible net worth of $50 million for Gold and Platinum Eagles, and $5 million for Silver Eagles. This requirement may be met using letter of credit.
Have sold over 100,000 ounces of gold bullion coins over any twelve-month period since 1990. (This criterion is for becoming a United States Mint Authorized Purchaser of gold bullion.)
For the Silver Eagle, we charge the United States Mint's Authorized Purchasers the price of silver plus $1.50 per coin premium. Minimum ordering requirement is 25,000 coins.
For the Gold Eagles, we charge 3%, 5%, 7% and 9% premiums for the one, one-half, one-quarter and one-tenth ounce coins respectively. Minimum ordering requirements are 1000 ounces.
For the Platinum Eagles, we charge 4%, 6%, 10% and 15% premiums for the one, one-half, one-quarter and one-tenth ounces coins respectively. Minimum ordering requirements are 1000 ounces.
http://usmint.gov/consumer/index.cfm?action=AmericanEagles
Be an experienced and established market-maker in gold/platinum and/or silver bullion coins.
Provide a liquid two-way market for the coins.
Be audited annually by an internationally-accepted accounted firm.
Have an established broad base of retail customer base in which to distribute the coins.
Have a tangible net worth of $50 million for Gold and Platinum Eagles, and $5 million for Silver Eagles. This requirement may be met using letter of credit.
Have sold over 100,000 ounces of gold bullion coins over any twelve-month period since 1990. (This criterion is for becoming a United States Mint Authorized Purchaser of gold bullion.)
For the Silver Eagle, we charge the United States Mint's Authorized Purchasers the price of silver plus $1.50 per coin premium. Minimum ordering requirement is 25,000 coins.
For the Gold Eagles, we charge 3%, 5%, 7% and 9% premiums for the one, one-half, one-quarter and one-tenth ounce coins respectively. Minimum ordering requirements are 1000 ounces.
For the Platinum Eagles, we charge 4%, 6%, 10% and 15% premiums for the one, one-half, one-quarter and one-tenth ounces coins respectively. Minimum ordering requirements are 1000 ounces.
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