One Billion Dollars!! If, like me, you were surprised to hear that this is not Dr. Evil splashing the cash, but Internet dinosaur Yahoo, your first reaction might have been: wow, Yahoo has still got a billion dollars?

Second surprise; they just spent it on a cash acquisition. Yes, cash. This is not one of those debt-laden stock-for-control deals we got used to in the tech sector.

Third, Yahoo just bought tumblr.

tumblr is the vowel-deficient blogging service that all the cool kids use. I don’t. I am not a cool kid. All the lively Internet memes and viral pictures that tumblr hosts have passed me by.

tumblr users view themselves as cool, a bit edgy, a bit subversive. They are in the 18-25 demographic.

tumblr has made no money to speak of.

Yahoo is a huge corporate entity. It is desperate to make money. In Internet years (like dog years) Yahoo is aged about 108.

Yahoo buying tumblr is a bit like your Dad buying the local youth centre because he wants to hang around the cool kids and sell them some cool stuff. Your Dad’s idea of cool stuff is not theirs. A lot of the cool kids will leave as soon as they hear your Dad just bought their youth centre. Your Dad’s very presence at the youth centre guarantees that most of the youth will stay away. Especially when your Dad’s friends turn up.

Your Dad’s friends will start asking him to take down all the pictures and grafitti that offends them, either because it’s inappropriate, or the cool kids stole it from them and defaced it, turning it into something they don’t approve of.

So more of the cool kids will stay away. In fact, they will go set up shop somewhere else your Dad and his friends never heard of. That’s not up for sale.

At some point your Dad will realise he’s not making any money out of the few cool kids who are left (the apathetic ones who weren’t really in the cool set to begin with) and will transform the youth centre into a latte-drinker’s coffe bar with baby change area and Coldplay on the sound system (the cool kids’ music gives him a headache, anyway).

This is what happens when your Dad’s generation try to buy into ‘cool.’ Especially when they think they can make money out of it. By the time you can bottle it and sell it, it is no longer cool.

This is what will happen after Yahoo completes the acquisition of tumblr.

Don’t believe me? What happened to MySpace?

Exactly. RC

Related: How-to: Widget Visibility and You (Re-post)

But it is the first bold experiment in producing an audio edition of Full Circle Magazine. We decided, after editor Ronnie’s attempt to put the magazine through a screen-reader, that an entire edition sounding like a cross between Stephen Hawking and Donald Duck would be bad for everyone’s sanity.

Somewhat later than billed, you will find here the audio edition of Full Circle Magazine issue 69.

Our thanks go to the volunteers who managed deliver their readings.

So listen, enjoy and do please give us some feedback. Use the magazine website for comments and let us know what you thought of our efforts.

Listen now!

Try the MP3 audio edition: http://ubuntuone.com/23lhsOrnviLFxbGh2VIekr

Full Circle Magazine

This month:

• Ubuntu News.
• How-To : Programming in Python, LibreOffice, and Using PAF.
• Graphics : Blender, and Inkscape.
• Book Review: Python for Kids.
• Review: Chrome OS

plus: Q&A, Command & Conquer, Linux Labs, Ask The New Guy, My Story, and soooo much more!
Get it while it’s hot! Magazine PDF and EPUB edition.

Now with ‘Send to Ubuntu One’ delivery!
and Google Currents Edition.

Also available via Issuu: http://issuu.com/fullcirclemagazine

FCM#70 hits your virtual door step

Get it while it’s hot!

This month, we have the usual Python, LibreOffice, Inkscape and Blender How-To’s. Joining them is an interesting HowTo on cron jobs. In other words: a script to do something on a particular day or time. In this month’s Linux Labs, Charles looks at the strange world of DVD drives. Do manufacturers really hold back drive speeds? And for this month’s review, we have Lucas telling us all about his new HTC One S phone.

You can also read Full Circle online at: http://issuu.com/fullcirclemagazine

Related: Full Circle Side-Pod Episode 13: That’s How it Feels To Be Wrong

Full Circle Side-Pod Episode 13: That’s How it Feels To Be Wrong is available from the magazine site.

In this episode, Ubuntu Phone and TV.

File Sizes:

• OGG 45.5Mb
• mp3 52.1Mb

Running Time: 1 hour 21 mins 56 sec

Your Hosts:

• Robin Catling (blog at http://catlingmindswipe.blogspot.com/, @robincatling on Twitter)
  Culture-vultures can also go to Everything Express at http://everythingexpress.wordpress.com/
• Ed Hewitt (blog at http://www.edhewitt.co.uk/, @edhewitt on Twitter)
• Dave Wilkins (blog at http://davidalexanderwilkins.blogspot.co.uk/ and on twitter @DavidAWilkins)
• Alan Pope (blog at http://popey.com/blog/, twitter @popey), (Popey) on Google+

Additional audio by Victoria Pritchard

Show Notes

01:52 | WELCOME and INTRO

04:52 | SINCE LAST TIME

• Dave has been blogging
• Ed got a Galaxy Nexus 4
• Alan has been on Kickstarter in place of the shopping channels, the latest delivery being the Digisparc.
• Robin rashly took on the Full Circle Magazine Audio Edition (coming soon)

14:46 | Catch-up with UDS and 13.04 Mid-Cycle Sprint with Alan, and we discuss rolling releases.

22:43 | Ubuntu Phone – the gloves are off!
In a video released over the New Year, Mark Shuttleworth demos the new Ubuntu Phone operating system.

In a glossy, well produced (if slightly long 8mins 37secs), Canonical founder and CTO Mark Shuttleworth talks us through Ubuntu Phone, An Industry Proposition, a product he hopes will challenge iOS, Android and now Tizen in the mobile market.

Some of the key features:

• Ubuntu distilled from TV and desktop
• ‘Welcome screen’ not lock screen
• One-handed operation using all four screen edges
• Full swipe gesture control
• Bottom edge for show/hide buttons
• Show Unity Dash any time using left swipe
• Go to previous app using right swipe
• Full customisation of home screen
• Ubuntu Software Centre for mobile apps
• UbuntuOne cloud storage built in.
• Native Apps built in QT framework

1.07:10 | Ubuntu TV:

1.19:37 | FEEDBACK: How to get in touch with us

1.20:11 | WRAP and OUTRO

Comments: on this page, using the comment form, OR; Send us a comment to podcast@fullcirclemagazine.org.
You can also send us a comment by recording an audio clip of no more than 30 seconds and sending it to the same address.
Comments and audio may be edited for length. Please remember this is a family-friendly show.

Please note: this podcast is provided with absolutely no warranty whatsoever; neither the producers nor Full Circle Magazine accept any responsibility or liability for content or interaction which readers and listeners may enter into using external links gleaned from this forum or podcast series.

Creative Commons Music Tracks
* Opening: ‘Knights of the darkness’ by Zero Project
* Main theme: ‘CCMixter’ by Code
* Incidental: ‘Funkorama‘ by Kevin MacLeod
* Incidental: ‘Techno-dog’ by Unknown, original recording royalty free under Creative Commons v2
* Opening dramatic dialog by Dave Wilkins and Robin Catling, from 2001: A Space Odyssey
* Opening dramatic monolog by Dave Wilkins, ‘Saruman.’

New H.265 Video Format Could Bring 4K To Broadband Connections
The next generation video format has just been approved. H.265 is also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HVEC), and will bring 4K video streaming.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) announced its approval of the H.265 video format standard on Friday. The new codec may bring 4K video to broadband and also limit bandwidth usage for HD streaming, offering both higher resolution video and lower data use.

As already announced by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) in August of last year, H.265 video is designed to divide bandwidth usage in half. The new format is also expected to allow for true HD streaming in places with low connectivity, mobile phones, and tablets. In areas with sufficient broadband, 4K could also be made available to consumers at a rate of 20-30Mbps.

The new codec is a successor to H.264, a common format used for most videos released and streamed online. H.265 is also known as High Efficiency Video Coding (HVEC).

H.265 was created as a collaboration between the ITU Video Coding Experts Group (VCEG) and MPEG. No information has been released regarding the new video format’s date of availability to consumers.

Via MakeUseOf

Full Circle Magazine Issue 69 Out Now!

This month:

• Ubuntu News.
• How-To : Programming in Python, LibreOffice, and Ubuntu Gnome 2 Style.
• Graphics : Blender, and Inkscape.
• Review: Sony Google TV.

plus: Q&A, Command & Conquer, Linux Labs, Ask The New Guy, My Story, and so much more!

Come and get it: http://fullcirclemagazine.org/issue-69/

Google Currents Edition: http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAowkqr8Bg/full_circle_magazine_69_lite

Also available via Issuu: http://issuu.com/fullcirclemagazine

In a video released over the New Year, Mark Shuttleworth demos the new Ubuntu Phone operating system.

In a glossy, well produced (if slightly long 8mins 37secs), Canonical founder and CTO Mark Shuttleworth talks us through Ubuntu Phone, a product he hopes will challenge Ios, Android and now Tizen in the mobile market.

We wait to see how this new entrant goes down at the CES Show in Las Vegas.

Some of the key features:

• Ubuntu distilled from TV and desktop
• ‘Welcome screen’ not lock screen
• One-handed operation using all four screen edges
• Full swipe gesture control
• Bottom edge for show/hide buttons
• Show Unity Dash any time using left swipe
• Go to previous app using right swipe
• Full customisation of home screen
• Ubuntu Software Centre for mobile apps
• UbuntuOne cloud storage built in.
• Native Apps built in QT framework

Related: How-to: Watch Digital TV in VLC Player – Ubuntu

Happy Holidays to everyone!
In this month’s Full Circle Magazine, issue 68 is available from the main site:

• Ubuntu News.
• How-To : Programming in Python, LibreOffice, and Install 12.10 on an EEE PC.
• Graphics : NEW! Blender, and Inkscape.
• Web Dev : CRUD Part 4. * Book Review – Super Scratch Programming.
• Review: Linux Mint Debian Edition KDE.
• Closing Windows – Run An App On Startup.
• What Is – Raspberry Pi.
• SPECIAL Q&A with Didier Roche – How Ubuntu Is Made.

plus: Q&A, Command & Conquer, Linux Labs, Ask The New Guy, My Story, and so much more!

Download Full Circle Magazine English PDF and (EPUB) editions.

Google Currents Edition: http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAow-fuBBA/full_circle_magazine_68_lite

Also available via Issuu: http://issuu.com/fullcirclemagazine.

Full Circle Issue 67: English can be downloaded from the main site.

This month:

• NEW! Ubuntu News.
• How-To : Programming in Python, LibreOffice, and Create a Thief-proof PC.
• Graphics : Kdenlive, and Inkscape.
• Web Dev : CRUD Part 3.
• Book Review – Think Like a Programmer.
• Review: OS4 OpenWorkStation.
• Closing Windows – Installing Fonts.
• What Is – PGP Encryption.

plus: Command & Conquer, Linux Labs, Ask The New Guy, My Story, and so much more!

Now with ‘Send to Ubuntu One‘ delivery:

Google Currents Edition:
http://www.google.com/producer/editions/CAow96L1Aw/full_circle_magazine_67_lite

Also available via Issuu:
http://issuu.com/fullcirclemagazine

Full Circle Side-Pod Episode Twelve: We’re Like the Sugarbabes is available from the main site.

In this episode, the old crew re-unite: Wilkins, Catling and Hewitt! With our most packed set of show notes ever!

File Sizes:
OGG 29.6Mb
mp3 21.0Mb

Running Time: 1 hour 35 second

Feeds for both MP3 and OGG:
RSS feed, MP3: http://fullcirclemagazine.org/category/podcast/feed

RSS feed, OGG: http://fullcirclemagazine.org/category/podcast/feed/atom

Your Hosts:

• Robin Catling (blog at http://catlingmindswipe.blogspot.com/, @robincatling on Twitter)
  Culture-vultures can also go to Everything Express at http://everythingexpress.wordpress.com/
• Ed Hewitt (blog at http://www.edhewitt.co.uk/, @edhewitt on Twitter)
• Dave Wilkins (blog at http://davidalexanderwilkins.blogspot.co.uk/ and on twitter @DavidAWilkins)

Additional audio by Victoria Pritchard

Show Notes

01:38 | WELCOME and INTRO

02:32: | We’re like the Sugarbabes

Catch up with missing Sugarbabe Alan Pope (Popey) on Google+ currently eating Danish at UDS.

05:32: Out with the old, in with the new (podcast crew)
We’re like the Sugarbabes, according to Ed.

07:43 | SINCE LAST TIME
Since last… year.

• Dave is back to reality from Oxford
• Ed is back to Uni from Porsche
  - Defected to Windows 7
  - Open Office/Libre Office vs. MS-Office
  - Everybody’s using Google Drive

• Dave’s Compiz rant
• Good news for Linux gaming – Valve Linux Blog
• Catling’s broken Linux rant followed by Dave’s answers:
  - My Unity may or may not be continuing development
  - Unity Revamped (ppa:ikarosdev/unity-revamped)
• Incidentally, Windows 8 is Not-Metro
• Dave actually reads Full Circle issue 65
  - A recommended font Open Baskerville font
  - Google Music Player for Android and Nuvola desktop client
• But remember its all better than Windows Vista!

23.22: Gadget Roundup

• Ed is still on the original Samsung Google Chromebook
• And has a Nexus 7 tablet
• Dave and Robin recommend the Clay Tablet. The Ancient Babylonians weren’t wrong.
• Let’s play the eco-sphere drinking game!

28.15: And breathe…

• Robin got a Lenovo G580 Core i5, 6GB, 750HD
• and Samsung Galaxy S2
• Dave has a Galaxy Nexus S
• As we all know (but Dave doesn’t) the Nexus 4 is out soon
• So Dave and Ed have an argument (Python fans sing along)
• Dave is still on the Aspire 1620 – cue Daves rant about the sound not working

42.13: Google Current, anyone?

• Dave asks what is Google currents for?

43.55: Still on ‘Since Last Time’

• Robin has been messing about in the dressing up. Cue Mr Benn.
• The Full Circle Special Edition 11.10 and Unity is still available.
• Ubuntu Quality Assurance Team always needs volunteers
• Ubuntu 12.10 so far

57.23 | FEEDBACK: How to get in touch with us

57.59 | WRAP and OUTRO

Comments: on this page, using the comment form, OR; Send us a comment to podcast@fullcirclemagazine.org.
You can also send us a comment by recording an audio clip of no more than 30 seconds and sending it to the same address.
Comments and audio may be edited for length. Please remember this is a family-friendly show.

Please note: this podcast is provided with absolutely no warranty whatsoever; neither the producers nor Full Circle Magazine accept any responsibility or liability for content or interaction which readers and listeners may enter into using external links gleaned from this forum or podcast series.

Creative Commons Music Tracks

• Opening: ‘Knights of the darkness’ by Zero Project
• Main theme: ‘CCMixter’ by Code
• Incidental: ‘Funkorama‘ by Kevin MacLeod
• Incidental: ‘Techno-dog’ by Unknown, original recording royalty free under Creative Commons v2
• Opening dramatic dialog by Dave Wilkins and Robin Catling, from 2001: A Space Odyssey